October is National Youth Justice Awareness Month

During the month of October, thousands of people are participating in National Youth Justice Awareness Month (Y-JAM) activities throughout the country. The Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ) and partners in over 20 states are hosting events to educate and involve communities on the importance of taking action to end the practice of trying, sentencing, and incarcerating youth in the adult criminal justice system. Local non-profits, youth, and families have organized events ranging from: community service days, 5k walk/run fundraisers, film screenings, art shows, poetry slams and education summits. Throughout the month of October, over 25 events are taking place in 20 states, including the District of Columbia.
To kick things off, the CFYJ is excited to announce the Alliance for Youth Justice, a network of families and allies from across the country coming together to share experiences, knowledge and advocate on behalf of youth in the criminal justice system.

Please learn more about the Alliance for Youth Justice and how families, youth and allies from all over the nation are standing up for youth justice this October. Will YOU join us?
Here are 3 things you can do TODAY:

1. Watch and share the Alliance for Youth Justice PSA & connect with your local AYJ affiliate.
2. Find a YJAM event in your hometown & take action.
3. Help us spread the word about Youth Justice by joining our social media campaign throughout October! Check us out on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @JusticeforYouth.

The post above is reprinted with permission from the Campaign for Youth Justice.

Liz Ryan brings more than two decades of experience to the Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ), an organization she founded that is dedicated to ending the practice of trying, sentencing and incarcerating children in the adult criminal justice system. In her capacity at CFYJ, Liz is responsible for overall strategy, management and fundraising. Liz currently serves as the co-chair of the Act 4 Juvenile Justice campaign, an effort launched to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Prior to starting The Campaign for Youth Justice, Ms. Ryan served for five years as the Advocacy Director for the Youth Law Center’s Building Blocks for Youth Initiative, a project to reduce the over-incarceration and disparate treatment of children of color in the juvenile justice system. Ms. Ryan holds a BA from Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA) and an MA from The George Washington University (Washington, DC).