10th Anniversary FREEHER March and Rally

Federal and state clemency now; end the incarceration of women and girls and shift resources into communities.

In 2010, as incarcerated women in the federal prison for women in Danbury, CT, we began organizing ourselves to highlight the additional harm that incarceration of women and girls inflicts on us, our families, and our communities. Upon our release, we have continued to work to end the incarceration of women and girls and shift resources into communities.

On April 24, we’re marching in Washington DC to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the FreeHer March and Rally.

This Mother’s Day, 150,000 incarcerated mothers will spend their day separated from their children unless the Biden Administration and state governors take immediate action. The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, along with fellow advocates and organizations fighting to end mass incarceration, will lead a powerful march and rally at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., with a clear and urgent message: “Bring Moms Home for Mother’s Day.”

We are calling on Federal and State officials across the country to grant clemency to incarcerated women and mothers, highlighting the staggering reality that 80% of women in jails and 56% of women in prison are mothers to children under the age of 18. Most of these women are the primary caretakers of their families, women of color, and most of the mothers in jail are awaiting trial simply because they can’t afford bail. This is a women’s rights issue, a criminal justice issue, a racial justice issue, and an economic justice issue. The march and rally are part of larger national initiatives titled the #FreeHer Campaign and #ClosureIsPossible, which aim to end the incarceration of women and girls and shift resources currently spent on women’s jails and prisons to meaningful investment in communities.

Under the Obama Administration, with Joe Biden as Vice President, 1,715 acts of clemency were issued, signaling a strong stance on racial justice. Now, under his direct leadership, President Biden has granted a mere 13 acts of clemency. During his campaign, President Biden pledged to end the mass incarceration crisis and promised to lead with a commitment to racial justice. Clemency IS racial justice, and, especially for women in prison, it’s being horrifically underutilized.

The march and rally are on April 24, 2024. The march starts at 11:00 a.m. at the historic Metropolitan AME church in Washington, DC, and we rally at Freedom Plaza from 12 to 4 p.m. During this important time in our country, we ask that you stand with us.

FICPFM is proud to stand with the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls at the FreeHer March and Rally, actively supporting the 10th anniversary of this historic event on April 24 in Washington, D.C. We are not only in attendance but also thrilled to bring over a dozen women from our network to march and rally alongside our leaders. Together, we continue to fight for justice, support clemency, and push for crucial changes in our communities.