Atlanta Community Support Project

Past Events

Luci Harrell, Chalana McFarland, Robert Allen, Page Dukes

ATJ National Law School Tour at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School

March 21, 2024, 9am - 6pm

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) embarked on a national law school tour to have conversations around the importance of adequate representation the criminal legal sphere. Atlanta's John Marshall Law School was their last stop on the tour.

For this important event, the ACSP team -- including Chalana McFarland, Robert Allen, and Page Dukes -- spent the day talking to law students about our work and opportunities to engage. Luci Harrell spoke on a panel with comrades entitled Transformational Stories: Wisdom from Justice-Impacted Law Students.

All in all, we were proud to represent our community of FIP-leaders and talk to the Office of Access to Justice team. We champion the work of all the public defense and nonprofit orgs there, as well as each person who took the time to engage on issues facing our community, to talk about the importance of self-advocacy and community involvement, and about how public defenders play a critical role as part of a larger movement to end mass criminalization.

For more information, visit the AJMLS website.

Justice Day 2024: Justice is a Family Affair

February 29, 2024, 9am - 3pm

Every year, advocates gathered in downtown Atlanta, at Central Presbyterian Church, across from the State Capitol, to talk about the critical need for criminal legal reforms in Georgia. Hosted by the Justice Reform Partnership (JRP), this year's theme focused on the impact of mass incarceration on families and communities.

The ACSP tabled at this year's Justice Day, and had a great time connecting with community members in person and having conversations with like-minded individuals.

CLICK HERE to watch some of the recordings of panel discussions from Justice Day 2024.

Law Student Volunteer Info & Training Session

February 12, 2024, 5-6pm

The Atlanta Community Support Project (ACSP) will be hosting a virtual session for local law students interested in getting involved with our grassroots justice work in a volunteer capacity. We offer opportunities for those interested in pursuing a career in various areas of law to serve the growing community of people affected by poverty and incarceration by devoting pro bono or community service hours.

During this event, we'll introduce you to the ACSP's work, community values, and explain our theory of change. We'll explain how you can serve others, whether you have one hour or 50 to spare. ACSP volunteer work can be done remotely, at your convenience, but if you're interested in in-person opportunities, we'll share some of those as well.

We especially encourage law students at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School, Georgia State University, and Emory University to attend, but the event is open to all.

CLICK HERE to register for the event.

GACDL's Winter Seminar

January 26, 2024

The ACSP had the opportunity to speak to public and private defenders and policy advocates on the topic of Avoiding Lonely Games: Choosing Allyship as a Defense Lawyering Practice, through a CLE presentation Luci gave at the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' (GACDL) 2024 Winter Seminar & Annual Meeting at the State Bar, and a social event afterwards. We were glad to be in and build community with local attorneys fighting hard for and with their clients. And we were very proud to see ACSP Board Member and movement lawyer, Devin Franklin (pictured below), and longtime ally and supporter, attorney Mark Loudon-Brown, honored with the GACDL President's Commitment to GACDL Award. Thanks to all the folks who made this happen, and to those who were willing to engage in critical conversations.

Indiana Women's Prison History Project Conversation

November 10, 2023

The Atlanta Community Support Project provided support to our friends at Mourning Our Losses (MOL) as they hosted a conversation with three of the editors and authors of Who Would Believe a Prisoner? Indiana Women's Carceral Institutions, 1848-1920, published by The New Press.

The event took place at For Keeps Books in Atlanta, and included a conversation with MOL's Page Dukes and the book's authors, Michelle Daniel Jones, Anastazia Schmid, and Elizabeth Nelson.

To learn more about the book, visit whowouldbelieve.com

For more info about MOL, a crowd-sourced space remembering the lives of those who've died behind bars, visit mourningourlosses.org

Decriminalizing Race & Poverty Symposium

October 25, 2023

The ACSP's founding director, Luci Harrell, spoke on a panel at the annual Decriminalizing Race & Poverty Symposium, hosted by the Southern Center for Human Rights at the GSU College of Law, and featuring keynote speaker Andrea Armstrong. WATCH HERE.

"Let My People Vote" Town Hall in Macon

October 7, 2023

The ACSP had our first tabling at the Macon, Georgia voting rights town hall organized by the Rights Restoration Coalition of Georgia. We appreciated the chance to be in community with other orgs doing amazing advocacy work, and to connect with our brothers and sisters who have recently been released, as well as family members advocating for their loved ones still inside.