Summer 2025

Praxis Initiative’s Summer 2025 Campaign: “Sunlight & Second Chances”

This summer, our organization is turning up the heat on independent oversight, equity, and opportunity in Arizona’s criminal legal system—and we need you. Right now, the Department of Corrections wields nearly $2 billion in taxpayer dollars with virtually no external review. That’s why Praxis Initiative is launching our “Sunlight & Second Chances” campaign to establish truly independent oversight, expand harm-reduction programs, and invest in second‑chance opportunities for returning citizens.

Why it matters

• Lives on the line: Every day without oversight means more preventable deaths, unchecked violence, and rights violations behind bars.

• Bipartisan, nonpartisan impact: From rural communities to city centers, conservatives and progressives agree: sunshine is the best disinfectant. Independent review safeguards public safety, staff well‑being, and incarcerated individuals’ basic humanity.

• Bridging the gap: “Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution,” as Glenn E. Martin reminds us—and Praxis Initiative was founded by people with lived experience in Arizona’s prisons. We’re uniquely positioned to design oversight mechanisms that actually work.

Our goals this summer

1. Secure funding to operationalize Arizona’s first Independent Corrections Ombudsman office—so families, advocates, and community partners can report concerns without fear or favor.

2. Scale overdose-prevention & harm-reduction programs inside facilities and in surrounding communities, driving down the tragic overdose deaths that have claimed too many lives.

3. Empower returning citizens through core civics and advocacy training, ensuring they have the skills, voice, and resources to shape better policies for themselves and future generations.

How you can help

• Donate today: Every dollar moves us closer to oversight that saves lives and restores trust—$25 funds one family’s “Know Your Rights” guide; $100 supports a returning‑citizen training session.

• Spread the word: Share our campaign page on social media, forward this email to friends, and invite colleagues to stand with us.

• Stay engaged: Follow our progress, attend a virtual oversight briefing in July, or host a summer house party to introduce others to our work.

By coming together this summer, you’re not just giving—you’re shining sunlight into Arizona’s most powerful institutions and opening the door to second chances. Join Praxis Initiative in making sure our prisons protect public safety and human dignity alike.

Give now—and be part of the change.