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Join me at the 2025 UJC Summit on Friday, May 30, 2025 in NYC! This year’s summit will unite the nation’s top advocates, experts, and changemakers to drive meaningful conversations and impact.

Experience @unitedjusticecoalition’s powerful panel discussions, networking opportunities, and 40+ nonprofit organizations dedicated to justice reform.

#UJCSummit2025 #SpotlightingImpact

Welcome to the 2023 Organization Exhibition Area!

The UJC aims to amplify the work being done in our communities in the areas of justice reform, civic engagement, education, and more. We’re excited to welcome over 50 organizations from across the U.S. to our Organization Exhibition Area, designed to highlight their missions, programs, resources, and calls to action. Join us on 12/1 to meet our partners. Click the link to register! 1Hood Media American Probation and Parole Association Anti Recidivism Coalition Black Voters Matter Center For Employment Opportunities (CEO) Center for Policing Equity Due Process Institute Equal Justice USA Foundation to Combat Antisemitism Good Call Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison Innocence Project Last Prisoner Project LIFE Camp Inc. March For Our Lives National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers National Lawyers Guild-New York City Chapter National Sheriffs' Association PeacePlayers Brooklyn & PeacePlayers US Promise of Justice Initiative REFORM Alliance Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) Students Demand Action Terence Crutcher Foundation The Botham Jean Foundation The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth The Clean Slate Initiative The Gathering for Justice The LOHM The Opportunity Network The Sentencing Project Transformational Prison Project United Way of New York City Until Freedom Youth Justice Network

Gayle King is co-host of CBS THIS MORNING. An accomplished television journalist, King interviews top newsmakers and delivers original reporting to CBS THIS MORNING and all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. She is also editor-at-large of the award-winning O, the Oprah Magazine. King recently began hosting a live, weekly radio show titled “Gayle King in the House” on SiriusXM. CBS THIS MORNING is CBS’ most successful morning news broadcast in more than three decades. Since joining CBS News in 2011, King has conducted revealing and news-making interviews with world leaders, political figures and celebrities including former President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Bruce Springsteen, Elon Musk Billie Eilish, R. Kelly and Michelle Obama and her mother, Marian Robinson, in their first TV interview together. In addition, King has handled a number of high-profile assignments, including recently moderating CBS News' 202 Democratic presidential debate in Charleston. In June, King hosted "Justice for All" an hour long CBS News special on racism and police brutality. King has received numerous awards for her extensive work as a journalist, including three Emmys. In 2018 she was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and in 2019 she was selected for the TIME 100, Time Magazine’s annual list of the hundred most influential people in the world. The mother of a daughter, Kirby, and a son, Will, she currently resides in New York City.

Fat Joe is a Grammy-nominated recording artist, author, actor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and media personality that hails from the Bronx, New York. With an acclaimed career that has spanned three different decades, Joe has cemented his legacy as a hip-hop heavyweight, having amassed several multiplatinum and gold studio albums, mixtapes, singles and collaborations, including “Lean Back,” “What’s Luv,” “Make It Rain,” and “All The Way Up,” among countless others.

Beyond his unprecedented longevity, Joe – who is of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent – helped play an integral role in bridging the intersection of hip-hop and Latin music, collaborating with Gloria Estefan, Thalia, Ricky Martin, etc. Joe has also displayed an eye for discovering and developing new talent, having signed the likes of DJ Khaled, Big Pun, Remy Ma and more to his Terror Squad label imprint.

Most recently, Joe reinvented himself into a media personality, having hosted the 2022 BET Hip-Hop Awards as well as episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show and The Wendy Williams Show. His pivot into media began in 2020, when he launched “The Fat Joe Show,” an Instagram Live talk-show where he interviewed a wide array of guests such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Floyd Mayweather, Jamie Foxx, etc. Those experiences ultimately paved the way for Joe to get his own show on STARZ that will launch in 2023 and be executive produced by Sean “Diddy” Combs and LeBron James.

The Bronx native recently expanded his résumé and became an author in November 2022, releasing his memoir, The Book of Jose, which pulled back the curtains on the trials, tribulations and triumphs throughout his personal life and professional career. Joe’s acclaimed memoir is in the process of being converted into a television series on Showtime that will be executive produced by Kenya Barris.

He has shined in acting roles, most notably starring alongside Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish in “Night School” as well as in Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” Netflix series. He is also slated to star alongside Susan Sarandon in an animated comedy series called “The Movers” that is currently in development at FOX.

Joe is also the owner and founder of three UP NYC stores in New York City, which sells exclusive sneakers from brands such as Jordan and Nike as well as sports apparel, caps, etc. In 2022, he also teamed up with the New York City Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to create the Bronx Relief Fund and raise over $1 million for families impacted by the tragic Bronx apartment fire at Twin Parks North-West.

Join Fat Joe and more by registering today for #UJCSummit23!

Xavier McElrath Bey is a champion for the human rights of incarcerated children. Through his work as the Executive Director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) and a Co-Founder of the Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network (ICAN), Xavier fights to abolish “life without parole” for children in America. During his earlier years at the Campaign, Xavier played a crucial role in ending this practice in several states—including Nevada, Utah, Arkansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Xavier’s passion for this work stems from personal experience. At the age of 13, Xavier was “charged as an adult” for a first-degree gang-related murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. After serving 13 years in prison, Xavier came out with a remorseful heart, a bachelor's degree, and a mission to advocate for poor, disadvantaged, and at-risk youth.

Soon after his release, Xavier earned a Master of Arts from Roosevelt University’s Counseling and Human Services Program; and, since his graduation and prior to his current position at the CFSY, Xavier worked in gang intervention (CeaseFire), violence prevention (Catholic Charities), youth diversion (Alternatives, Inc.), and clinical research (Northwestern University) - looking at the mental health needs and outcomes of current and former incarcerated youth.

Currently, Xavier serves as a Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC) Advisory Council Member at MacArthur Foundation, an Advisory Council Member at Eighth Amendment Project, an Ambassador Alumni with Represent Justice, and an Advisory Council Member at Fair Chance Initiative (FCI). Previously, Xavier served as a board member at the Community Justice for Youth Institute (CJYI) and as a member of the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force’s (PATF) working group on Community and Police Relations.

In recent years, Xavier received the 2018 Justice Roundtable Excellence Award, the 2019 JustLeadershipUSA Leading with Conviction Award, the 2021 Bright Promises Foundation's Champion for Children Award, and the 2023 Juvenile Law Center Leadership Prize award.

Although Xavier’s life has changed dramatically since he was a child in the justice system, it wasn’t until 2016, when he met Pedro’s family in a restorative justice healing circle, that he truly felt free from his troubled past. That day, Pedro’s family forgave him and forged a relationship that continues until this day - encouraging him to continue his work.

In his powerful TEDx Talk, titled “No Child is Born Bad”, Xavier reminds all of us that no child should ever receive a “death in prison” sentence; that all children, including those who have made terrible mistakes, have the capacity for positive change.

Learn more about Xavier McElrath Bey on Dec. 1st at #UJCSummit23!

Since 2023, Vincent Schiraldi has been Secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services.

Vincent Schiraldi is a national leader in criminal/juvenile justice and mass incarceration reform, a field he has worked in for more than four decades. He previously served as Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Correction, and before that Columbia University, where he served as Senior Research Scientist at the Columbia School of Social Work and co-Director of the Columbia Justice Lab, working to reduce the footprint and negative impact of community corrections, eliminate youth prisons, and create a developmentally appropriate response to offending by young adults. Mr. Schiraldi went to Columbia from the Harvard Kennedy School Program in Criminal Justice where he was a Senior Researcher. Mr. Schiraldi also has extensive government experience in criminal and juvenile justice. While Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Correction, he attempted to close Riker’s Island and end the practice of solitary confinement. Mr. Schiraldi also served as director of juvenile corrections in Washington DC, as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Probation, and as Senior Policy Adviser to the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. He also pioneered efforts at community-based alternatives to incarceration in NYC and Washington DC as founder and executive director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice and Justice Policy Institute, respectively. Schiraldi has lectured at the Columbia University School of Social Work, Harvard Law School, NYU School of Social Work, San Francisco University, and the Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. Schiraldi received a Master’s in Social Work from New York University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Binghamton University.

Join Vincent Schiraldi on Dec. 1st in NYC for #UJCSummit23 by registering today! ujcsummit.lnk.to/ujc23 for more details.

Veronica Ballard Cunningham is the Executive Director of the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) – the leading international professional membership organization for community corrections (probation and parole) practitioners. APPA’s members assist formerly incarcerated individuals as they transition from jails and prisons back into the community. They work to increase their chances for successful reentry as well as to enhance public safety. As CEO, Ms. Cunningham has responsibility for ensuring the association operates according to its mission, vision, and Constitution/Bylaws. She oversees administrative matters, programs, finances, projects, and strategic operations. She puts her meeting planner hat on to plan and executive large training institutes on field-related topics.

Prior to joining APPA, she held the top leadership positions in two of the largest community corrections agencies in America – the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Parole Division and the Cook County Probation Department – Chicago and surrounding areas. She has a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in public administration from Louisiana State University. She is a member of several professional organizations and serves on national think tanks, task forces, and boards including the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information System Advisory Policy Board. She is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions; speaker and trainer on topics such as leadership, ethics, and women in the criminal legal system; and published author in justice industry journals.

Join Veronica Cunningham and more by signing up today for #UJCSummit23! ujcsummit.lnk.to/ujc23 for more details.

#UJCSummit23

Dan Slepian is an award-winning journalist at NBC News and a veteran producer of its signature newsmagazine, Dateline. Slepian has spearheaded dozens of documentaries, hidden camera investigations, and breaking news reports.

Referred to as “A TV News Gumshoe” by The New York Times, Slepian is known for his in-depth reporting about the criminal legal system and specifically, wrongful convictions. His documentaries on the topic have earned him a total of eleven Emmy nominations.

In February 2023, NBC News released “Letters From Sing Sing,” an eight-episode podcast hosted by Slepian that documents his 20-year journey investigating the wrongful conviction of Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez. The podcast hit #1 on Apple’s top charts the day of its release.

Slepian also conceived, developed and produced “Justice For All”, an NBC News/MSNBC series about the criminal justice system. The week-long event included the Emmy nominated first town hall from a maximum security prison as well as Dateline’s Emmy nominated “Life Inside,” an impactful and emotional hour about mass incarceration in which Slepian and anchor Lester Holt spent two nights inside Louisiana’s notorious Angola prison.

In May 2019, Dateline debuted its first-ever podcast with Slepian at its helm. The eight-episode series “13 Alibis” chronicles Slepian’s investigation into a confounding murder case and helped exonerate an innocent man.

In 2018, Slepian was granted exclusive access to film rapper Meek Mill on the day of his highly publicized release from prison. Dateline's special, "Dreams and Nightmares" featured Lester Holt's exclusive interview with Meek just hours after his release.

As a volunteer, Slepian works with incarcerated men at Sing Sing prison where he helped create "Voices From Within," a video featuring deeply personal testimonials intended to help reduce gun violence. Slepian introduced the project, which is now a program at the prison, during a TEDx talk at Sing Sing.

Join Dan Slepian at #UJCSummit23 by registering today: ujcsummit.lnk.to/ujc23

#UJCSummit23 #ActivatingForChange

Crystal Mason is the founder of Crystal Mason The Fight Against Voter Suppression foundation. She has a personal story of trials, tribulation and triumph and through that story, she has become the face of Voter’s Suppression. In 2016, Crystal did what any noble American would do, she cast her vote at the ballot box hoping to be the change that she wants to see. Instead, she was given a five-year prison sentence after casting a provisional ballot that was ultimately rejected in the 2016 election.

Crystal is adored by her family, friends and colleagues. She is a mother, grandmother and successful business owner. If asked who she is, Crystal will tell you; “I am a rehabilitated felon that believes in second chances”.

Crystal's vision for her foundation is clear and concise. Her mission and strategy is built upon networking and working with other organizations on areas such as prison reform and felons who are transitioning back into the world; specifically education and guidance as it relates to their voting rights. Crystal wants to ensure they know when they can vote, why they need to vote and the importance of voting. Crystal has hosted numerous events across the state of Texas using tactics such as round tables, rallies, and open floor discussions on ballot candidates. She stressed the importance of voters understanding who they are voting for with a good grasp on policy interpretation. Crystal's motto in this fight reads “You are not defined by the word felon; you have a voice and with Crystal Mason the Fight your voice will be heard.

Join Crystal Mason at #UJCSummit23 by registering today: ujcsummit.lnk.to/ujc23

Ari Melber is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, writer, attorney and host of MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber.”

“The Beat with Ari Melber” covers news, law, politics and culture and is the longest-running 6 p.m. show in MSNBC’s history. The program was nominated for a 2020 Emmy in the “Outstanding Live Interview” category.

Melber also serves as MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent and an NBC News Legal Analyst. He received a 2016 Emmy Award for his reporting on the Supreme Court.

Melber’s writing has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Politico and Reuters, and he wrote a foreword on Donald Trump’s “Coup Conspiracy” for the Harper Collins edition of “The January 6 Report,” a #1 New York Times bestseller.

Melber previously spent years practicing First Amendment law and received a J.D. from Cornell Law School. He is a member of the New York Bar.

Join Ari Melber and more at #UJCSummit23 on Dec. 1st in NYC. Visit ujcsummit.lnk.to/ujc23 to register.

#ActivatingForChange #UJCSummit23

Amna Nawaz serves as co-anchor of PBS NewsHour.

Prior to joining PBS NewsHour in April 2018, Nawaz was an anchor and correspondent at ABC News, anchoring breaking news coverage and leading the network’s livestream coverage of the 2016 presidential election. Before that, she served as foreign correspondent and Islamabad Bureau Chief at NBC News. She is also the founder and former managing editor of NBC’s Asian America platform, built in 2014, to elevate stories from America’s fastest-growing and most diverse population.

At the NewsHour, Nawaz has reported from the White House, across the country, and around the world on a range of topics including politics, immigration, foreign affairs, education, gun violence, criminal justice reform, the climate, culture, and sports.

She also serves as an NBC News and MSNBC contributor. Throughout her career, she has covered major events such as the January 6th attacks on the U.S. Capitol; the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas; the elections and inaugurations of President Joe Biden, President Donald J. Trump, and President Barack Obama; Hurricane Katrina; the 2010 Haiti earthquake; the U.S. war in Afghanistan; and the September 11th attacks.

Nawaz has interviewed multiple heads of state and international leaders including Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. She has interviewed numerous lawmakers and administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Nawaz has also interviewed newsmakers across industries, including acclaimed director Ava Duvernay, actor Riz Ahmed, WNBA star Sue Bird, and country singer Reba McEntire.

Nawaz was part of NewsHour’s team honored with a Peabody Award in 2023 for its coverage of the gun violence epidemic in America, including her on-the-ground coverage of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. She was also part of the team honored with a Peabody Award in 2022 for Newshour’s coverage of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Nawaz previously won a Peabody for her documentary work on 2019’s “The Plastic Problem,” examining global plastic pollution and efforts to address it. Her other documentaries include “Raising the Future,” a 2021 documentary on America’s childcare crisis; and 2022’s “Life After Lockup,” which followed the lives of four formerly-incarcerated people to track the challenges of re-entry after prison.

In 2020, Nawaz hosted a criminal justice podcast, “Broken Justice,” which was named a finalist for the Silver Gavel Awards, honoring work that fosters the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system. She also hosted 2021’s “The Longest Year,” a pandemic-focused podcast series on the many ways Covid-19 changed Americans’ lives.

Nawaz has hosted three seasons of the primetime PBS series, “Beyond the Canvas,” featuring profiles and interviews of some of the world’s leading artists, musicians, and creators.

In 2019, Nawaz became the first Asian American and the first Muslim American to moderate a presidential debate.

While at ABC News, Nawaz hosted the documentary, “Roberts County: A Year in the Most Pro-Trump Town,” following four families’ lives over President Trump’s first year in office. She also hosted the podcast series, “Uncomfortable” for ABC News Radio, featuring in-depth, one-on-one conversations with thought leaders on the issues dividing America. While at NBC News, she was the first foreign journalist to gain access to North Waziristan – then the global hub of Al Qaida and the Taliban - while pregnant with her first daughter.

Nawaz was a Fall 2021 Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Asian American Journalists Association, the South Asian Journalists Association, and the Inter-American Dialogue.

In 2023, Nawaz was named an A100 honoree by Gold House. She was the recipient of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies’ Vision Award and the Media Award from the Muslim Affairs Public Council’s Media Award in 2022. She has also been honored with the American Muslim Institution’s Excellence in Media Award in 2018 and an Emmy award as part the 2009 NBC News Special “Inside the Obama White House.”

She is the first-generation American daughter of Pakistani parents, born and raised in Virginia. Nawaz earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she captained the varsity field hockey team and studied abroad at the University of Zimbabwe. She later earned her master’s degree from the London School of Economics.

She lives with her husband, Paul, and their two daughters in the Washington, D.C. area.

Join Amna Nawaz and more at #UJCSummit23 on Dec. 1st in NYC. Visit ujcsummit.lnk.to/ujc23 to register.

#UJCSummit23 ActivatingForChange

Aidan Kohn-Murphy is a 19-year-old political organizer, born and raised in Washington DC, and now a freshman at Harvard University. Dubbed “an unlikely leader of America’s largest and fastest-growing progressive media empire” by Politico, he is the Founder of Gen-Z for Change and served as Executive Director for almost two years before transitioning to his current role as Board Chair. Aidan has nearly 300,000 followers on TikTok and was selected as a member of the Forbes under 30 Class of 2023. He is a member of the REFORM Alliance’s Future Shapers Advisory Council.

Join Aidan Kohn-Murphy and more at #UJCSummit23 on Dec. 1st in NYC. Register now: ujcsummit.lnk.to/ujc23

#UJCSummit23 ActivatingForChange

Join the country’s leading activists, entertainers, attorneys, entrepreneurs, professors, experts, media personalities, organizations, and more as we activate for change.

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