Sheena Eastburn
Sheena was sentenced to LWOP at age 17, before a U.S. Supreme Court ruling deemed it cruel and unusual punishment to sentence juveniles to such, leading to Sheena gaining her freedom in 2017 after spending 25 years in prison. She is the founder of two community organizations; Show-me Justice For All - which advocates for criminal legislative reforms - and P.R.E.P for Release, which helps prepare people to reenter society upon release from prison. Sheena works as a certified Paralegal. She also works for Human Rights Watch on a National Leadership Council to End Life Without Parole.
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