Women's Justice

This popular TikTok chef left his prosecutor job after old, racist tweets resurfaced

Hand of a person at a protest holding a sign reading protect Black women

Waymond Wesley, aka “Chef Way” on TikTok, was known for his food content — but after Twitter users unearthed posts where he made misogynistic, colorist, and body-shaming comments about Black women, things pretty quickly went downhill. On Jan.

Texas’ First Family Reunification Cases Move Forward

Screengrab of press release PDF

Soon, two Texas families will be reunited with their children after regaining custody this fall. The reunification is possible thanks to HB 2926, a bipartisan bill signed into law following the 87th(R) Texas Legislative Session, which created a pathway for parents who have lost their parental rights to petition the court to reinstate them.

Read the rest of this press release here.

Formerly Incarcerated Leaders to Gather for Community-Building Event in Austin

Screengrab of press release PDF

On December 3, a group of formerly incarcerated and justice system-impacted Texans will convene in Austin. The event, “From Prison to Power: Finding Your Voice After Incarceration,” is organized by the Texas Center for Justice and Equity’s Statewide Leadership Council (SLC) and partners.

Second annual “Power to the People” discusses the intersection of race, incarceration

A group of people sit behind a table on a panel in front of a classroom of students

St. Edward’s University’s Black Student Alliance held its second annual “Power to the People” event, with this year’s focus on the intersection of race and incarceration. The main topic was “Justice for Us” and revolved around a panel of experts on the incarceration system.

Read the rest of this article from Hilltop Views.

Course Corrections: The Return of Prison Education

Screengrab of Observer headline, "Federal grants are rebooting higher education behind bars, but the benefits aren't evenly distributed to all of the incarcerated. by Michelle Pitcher

On a lower level of the Wynne Unit, a state prison in Huntsville, about 20 men in white jumpsuits and matching white sneakers sit around the perimeter of a room. Their attention is focused on Paul Allen, who stands in front of them. He’s a familiar face in the unit of about 3,000 male prisoners: He’s been teaching there for years. Today, he’s leading the men through their capstone business course, for many the final step on the path to getting their associate of applied science degrees in business.

The number of women in U.S. prisons is skyrocketing, but little data exists about their experiences.

Mother hugging child with hashmarks, article title

Academia has an obligation to highlight the voices and experiences of cis and trans women—especially Black women, Indigenous women, and women of color. But as research around mass incarceration shifts to acknowledge the gendered and racialized realities of incarceration, I've seen my fellow academics continually ignore the ways in which women—especially Black, Indigenous, and women of color—are affected by the carceral system.

Read the rest of this story from Scalawag Magazine.

Women have long borne the brunt of over-policing. Now, they're the fastest-growing incarcerated population in Texas.

Cynthia speaking into a microphone, text with article title

In Texas, women's incarceration rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades—over 1000 percent since 1980. Within that group, Black single women are the persons with categorically the highest likelihood of ending up incarcerated. Still, conversations about the harms incarceration causes have historically and largely been centered around men.

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