Ronnie Amiyn
Ronnie Amiyn has been on a mission to change the lives of men and women confined by poverty, the judicial system, and their own ill-conceived self-image. After returning home from spending 25 years in prison since the age of 19, Ronnie joined forces with several community leaders and activists to begin his mission of turning St. Louis, into a better place for the many Black men, women, and children who reside here, and the community at large. Ronnie has work as an organizer and mentor with Freedom Community Center, a restorative justice organization based in St. Louis that works to reduce the harm that happens in the Black community by intervening in interpersonal, communal, and systemic violence while building power in the community. He is now FCC’s Outreach Practitioner. He is also a member of the St. Louis chapter of the national organization, Black Men Build, for which serves as lead facilitator for their bi-weekly Men’s Circles.
Presentations from Facing Race 2024
Building a Statewide Prison Advocacy Movement in Missouri; the most northern State of the South: Strategy, Obstacles & Necessity
MoJustice was founded by a formerly incarcerated person to serve as the unifying entity to do what has never been done before: building a statewide prison advocacy movement in Missouri. Our goal is to bring together stakeholders including individuals impacted by the criminal punishment system, concerned community members, litigators, and experts.
Our mission is to educate, empower, and unite these community members, transforming them into a powerful advocacy base. Through collaborative efforts, we strive to drive meaningful reforms within the Missouri prison system, addressing the systemic injustices, inhumane conditions, and absence of accountability.
I firmly believe that collective amplification and collective action are essential in building a statewide base of effective and sustained prison advocacy.
In this breakout session, we will discuss the strategy, obstacles, and collaborations in building this advocacy movement and the dire conditions in Missouri prisons that necessitate such a huge undertaking.
Speakers: ML Smith, Ronnie Amiyn, Sheena Eastburn, Maurice Davis