We want to introduce one of the newest members of our family into the Network. With the support of the ACLU, De-Bug led a two-day participatory defense training with organizations involved in the prosecutorial accountability campaign in Riverside County during the summer of 2017. About a month later, Starting Over took the lead and held their first meeting shortly after the training. Since then, they have held weekly meetings and supported community members from Riverside, Moreno Valley, and surrounding areas.

As a family, we want to embrace them with a letter from Poet from Durham, North Carolina, where he is a part of the participatory defense team with SpiritHouse, Inc/ All of Us Or None. He shares his experiences and how he got involved supporting families through Participatory Defense. Read his letter below.