Nicole D. Porter (she/her)

Black people don’t organize around hate.

‘Winning hearts and minds’: How protest signs shaped the anti-ICE movement in Minnesota Minnesota has seen an explosion of art made in response to ICE’s presence. Perhaps more than any other art form, artists and designers have made protest posters and signs en masse. “There’s never been...

The social infrastructure of protest art in Minnesota, how it wins hearts and minds and mobilizes action, and the public history projects to archive and preserve it.
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...

Had a great visit with @sentencingproject.bsky.social at “Inside Out” exhibition. So appreciate their work in the carceral space.
@nicoledporter.bsky.social
@ruckmanphoto.bsky.social
@empearce.bsky.social

“Inside Out” exhibition visit by @sentencingproject.bsky.social
Grateful to partner with them to further reform and advocacy in the carceral space.
@nicoledporter.bsky.social
@ild1985.bsky.social
@empearce.bsky.social
@thedcarts.bsky.social

💗

I was joined by a gifted team of CJR experts and formally incarcerated photographers discussing agency behind prison walls for our artist talk, “Inside Out: Dignity and the Art of Seeing.”
@sentencingproject.bsky.social

More here: www.nationalacademies.org/read/18613/c...

Top Democratic groups urge party to shed soft-on-crime image, hire police The Center for American Progress wants Democrats ‘on their front foot’ talking about crime, an issue where Republicans have long held the advantage.

The National Academy Sciences documented in its 2014 report, “The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences
2014” that increased police contact in the 1980s was a driver of mass incarceration 1/2

Anti Black racism

“One leading member of the Convention said the 1902 Constitution aimed at “the elimination of
every negro voter who can be gotten rid of, legally, without materially impairing the numerical
strength of the white electorate.”

www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/u...

Ruling here: www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/u...

Federal judge restores thousands of Virginians’ voting rights in historic ruling - Protect Democracy A federal judge found that Virginia’s Constitution broke federal law by stripping the voting rights of every Virginian with a felony.

Okay Virginia (via a federal court decision)

“I am overjoyed at today’s ruling and what it means for thousands of Virginians,” said Tati King, plaintiff in King v. Youngkin. “After so many years of fighting for my rights, I will finally be able to participate in our democracy ...”

Virginia’s felony disenfranchisement law was enshrined in the state constitution 124 years ago w/ the explicit intent to disenfranchise Black voters. If adopted by voters, this landmark ballot measure will eliminate the state’s lifetime felony voting ban, restoring the vote to over 230,000 citizens.

Virginia lawmakers voted last week to place a measure on the November ballot this year to automatically restore voting rights to people when they exit prison.

Former inmate buys old state prison in Wayne County to create reentry campus The state sold the facility that was once Wayne Correctional to Kerwin Pitt of Recidivism Reduction Education Program Services, Inc.

"According to a release, [Kerwin] Pittman is now the first formerly incarcerated person in U.S. history to buy a prison."

www.witn.com/2026/01/08/f...

Top Trends in Criminal Legal Reform, 2025 – The Sentencing Project 10 states adopted criminal legal reforms in 2025 that may contribute to decarceration, expand voting rights, and advance youth justice.

Here’s an overview of key trends in justice reforms from 2025.

Reforms at least 10 states are summarized on decarceration, collateral consequences, and youth justice.

The summary also highlights new prison construction projects and punitive policy changes.

‘Second Look Act’ could shorten sentences for Kansas prisoners • Kansas Reflector A Kansas Senate bill would let inmates seek resentencing after a set period of time based on their age during the offense.

“My youngest...was sentenced at just 23 years of age to a 38-year sentence,” ... “He has now served over 10 of those years. I am not here to say he’s innocent. He made mistakes ... His brain was still developing ... the young man who went into prison at 23 is not the same person ... today.”

In this week’s Rattling the Bars, Nicole Porter (@nicoledporter.bsky.social) brings a sharp worldview to the U.S. debate on prison systems. Named a “new civil rights leader” by Essence, Porter’s insight guides a new generation pushing to stop prison expansion and end extreme sentencing.

US is “by far the world’s number one jailer”: Nicole Porter YouTube video by The Real News Network

I welcomed the opportunity to connect with Mansa Musa at the Real News Network to discuss efforts to challenge new prison construction in 2025.

It's unfortunate that state policymakers from Arkansas to Vermont are looking to build new prisons in this moment.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKm7...

Nonprofit plans campaign against proposed Franklin County prison | Arkansas Democrat Gazette In a small room at the headquarters of the nonprofit decARcerate on Sunday, a group of almost 20 people, led by Kaleem Nazeem, began planning for a fight to win hearts and minds.

There is a movement to stop a prison in Arkansas.

“… We can be better served with the money that we're trying to allocate to this prison by putting (it into) educational programs, mental health programs, wraparound services for individuals who (are) coming home (from prison)."

Check out this new brief w/ @sentencingproject.bsky.social on how to get people w/ convictions who can vote out to the polls! W/ @blibal.bsky.social @nicoledporter.bsky.social #RobStewart

Summarizes existing and emerging research that partners w/ community orgs already doing the work!

Trump calls off 'surge' of federal deployment to San Francisco It's unclear whether other Bay Area cities will still see surges of federal agents.

Non Black privilege gets results in this era #SanFrancisco

www.sfgate.com/bayarea/arti...

Assata Shakur, political activist and ex-Black Liberation Army member, has died Assata Shakur “died in Havana, Cuba, as a result of health conditions and her advanced age,” according to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Assata Shakur has "died in Havana, Cuba, as a result of health conditions and her advanced age."

She was 78.

YT elites were so focused on protecting their demographic majority they are willing to give up living in somewhat free society. YT supremacy at work.

Thanks @decarceratear.bsky.social

Going into organizing session to plan for what’s needed to challenge mass incarceration given the current moment in Arkansas and nationally.

Inspiring panel focused on storytelling of persons with lived experience sharing their experiences with mass incarceration.

Emile DeWeaver led the convening in a campaign planning session. @decarceratear.bsky.social

I joined Ashley Hunt to discuss the film #AndWaterBringsTomorrow on prison closures and repurposing.

@decarceratear.bsky.social and their allies are fighting to stop a 3,000 bed prison in Arkansas.

Preach Judge

- Every dollar spent on incarceration is not spent on liberation

- Every dollar spent on incarceration is not spent on education

- Every dollar spent on incarceration is not spent on rehabilitation

@decarceratear.bsky.social