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Color Of Change and Allies Launch Campaign Demanding Tennessee Governor Haslam Grant Clemency to Cyntoia Brown

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Troy Blackwell, troy.blackwell@berlinrosen.com; 646-828-0844

New York, NY – Color Of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization, in coordination with BLM-Nashville, #MeToo Movement and the Highlander Center launched freecyntoiabrown.org to kick off their National Days of Action to bring Cyntoia Brown home for the holidays and demand Governor Haslam to grant clemency to Cyntoia.

Scott Roberts, Senior Campaign Director at Color Of Change:

“The criminal justice system has terribly failed survivors of sexual violence, especially black women, by criminalizing Cyntoia Brown for defending herself against a sexual predator who kidnapped her. Each day Cyntoia Brown is locked up, is a day that Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has failed to take action. No child should be sentenced to serve the rest of their life in prison. This is why Color Of Change, BLM-Nashville, #MeToo Movement and the Highlander Center launched freecyntoiabrown.org to demand that Governor Haslam grant Cyntoia clemency.

We cannot continue to live in a world where survivors and young people are being harshly punished with zero regard for the trauma and life experiences they have endured. Elected leaders have a duty to ensure justice, and with Governor Haslam leaving office by early next year, he must immediately ensure that Cyntoia receives the justice she rightfully deserves.

Survivors of violence deserve protection, not imprisonment. Color Of Change will continue to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and target enablers of violence. As a community we must continue to hold every actor in the criminal justice system accountable for ending the violence.”

 

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