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Summer 2025 Newsletter
The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice | August 2025
"I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it."
- Frederick Douglass
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A Note From Our Founder, Marc Howard
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Welcome to our first quarterly newsletter! The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice was founded for the purpose of experiencing the common humanity of incarcerated people, who have been ostracized, marginalized, and abandoned by our criminal legal system and society. At the Douglass Project, we believe strongly in the values of redemption and mutual respect.
We are approaching an important milestone — our organization's 5th anniversary! Since the launch of our Prison Visitation Program in September 2020, we have already created successful human connections in 24 prisons/jails across 15 states throughout the country. In the first half of 2025, we launched in 3 new sites — Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola), Dixon Correctional Institute (also in Louisiana), and the Arlington County Detention Facility (Virginia). Since 2020, we have brought thousands of people inside. As we continue to expand to new states and sites, we are well on our way to creating a fully national program in which tens of thousands of outside community members can visit a prison and engage in conversations that work to restore humanity and combat stigmas.
We are excited to launch this quarterly newsletter as a way to keep our past participants and supporters aware of the Douglass Project's expansion and development. Our work would not be possible without our donors, who ensure that we can continue to thrive while spreading our work across the country. Thank you so much for your support, and stay tuned for more information on our upcoming 5-year anniversary!
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| Founder and President, Marc Howard |
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We Are Expanding Nationally!
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| Our organization has hit huge milestones in expanding the Prison Visitation Program — now operating at 24 sites across 15 states and serving over 900 incarcerated participants. In the past year, we have opened new sites in Connecticut, Ohio, Virginia, Mississippi, Idaho, California, Illinois, and Louisiana. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we're aiming even higher this year: we're exploring 7 additional sites to reach more people and strengthen the human connection between incarcerated individuals and their communities. |
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| The pictures above highlight just a few of the many impactful visits we've had recently. In May, we had our first visit to the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana, in partnership with the Louisiana Parole Project (bottom row). You can read more about this special visit further down in our newsletter. On June 4, we hosted another partnered visit at Cook County Jail in Illinois — one of the largest jails in the U.S. — with the SALA Series, a platform for change-driven leaders (middle row). Finally, on July 15, we successfully launched our program at the Arlington County Detention Facility (top row). Across all our visits, we aim to ensure participants leave with a renewed sense of humanity and a deepened commitment to transforming carceral systems. |
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Hear From Our Inside Participants
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| "I'm always amazed how strangers can engage in meaningful, unconditional dialogue, and that dialogue can change perception, thought process, and ultimately, outcome." |
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| "This program takes us from being 'inmates' and 'cons' to being 'people who made mistakes.'" |
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Sign Up For a Prison Visit!
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Make sure to check out all our new locations.
If you are a past visitor, we encourage you to sign up for another location or a virtual visit. Also, please share this newsletter or link with friends, family, and community members so more people can have this life-changing experience.
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Meet our Summer 2025 Fellows
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This summer, we were joined by 6 fantastic fellows from across the country: Alyssa (Senior Fellow), Cheri, Katy, Wilfredo, Brooke, and Hannah!
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What's New With Douglass Project?
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Here's what we've been up to since our last newsletter.
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Partnered with the Louisiana Parole Project to launch 2 new sites
In May, we visited our partner, the Louisiana Parole Project (LPP) to facilitate our first visits in Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) and Dixon Correctional Institute in Louisiana, connecting 60+ outside participants with incarcerated individuals. These powerful conversations championed empathy, understanding, and humanity in spaces often defined by isolation. Visitors toured prison programs like reentry mentorship, hospice, and PAWS, witnessing leadership and resilience behind bars. Visitors also were able to converse with many of the individuals on Louisiana's death row, a powerful reminder of the importance of human connection. The experience challenged stereotypes and reminded everyone that people are more than their worst mistakes. As one participant shared, "I always thought someone should do something about it — and I realize I am someone." |
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Invited to speak for Sala Series
This past April, our Founder Marc Howard and Program Director JJ Velazquez spoke at the SALA Series Summit in New York City. SALA Series is a platform that brings together change-driven leaders. JJ reflected on the weight of his wrongful conviction and how it reflects a broader issue within our criminal justice system. |
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Attended the 2025 UJC Summit
This past May, the Douglass Project had the honor of attending the 2025 United Justice Coalition (UJC) Summit. Our representatives were able to connect with fellow organizations, leaders, and advocates committed to advancing criminal justice reform. |
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Welcomed two new hires!
We are excited to introduce Karyn McConnell to our team as Executive Director. Karyn has vast experience in criminal justice work and provides strategic leadership across all sectors of our operation. Read her full bio here! |
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| We are also excited to introduce Jacqueline Howells to our team as Chief Financial Officer. Jacqueline has worked in the nonprofit sector for the past 15 years, and has held roles in investment banking, and financial planning and analysis. Read her full bio here! |
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Launched in our 15th state: Arlington, Virginia!
On July 15th, we hosted our inaugural session at the Arlington County Detention Facility in Arlington, Virginia. One inside participant said that this visit "made them feel human again." You can read more about this launch in an article written for ARLnow! |
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| Together, we're driving real societal change through the power of human connection. It's supporters like you who make this vision possible. |
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| Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming 5 year anniversary appeal (and new merch!) |
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Copyright © 2025 The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW
PO Box 61
Washington, D.C. 20044
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