Criminal justice reform is one of the most pressing issues facing lawmakers in Massachusetts. A reform bill is working its way through the statehouse, however, prisoner advocates argue that too often the policy makers do not reflect the communities who are disproportionately impacted. In this anniversary gathering, organizers of the original gathering [#StuckOnReplay](http://forum-network.org/lectures/stuckonreplay-striving-social-justice/ "") attempt to move the conversation out of the State House and back into the community.
**James Mackey** is a national activist, social philanthropist, motivational speaker, and the founder of the grassroots organizing movement [#StuckOnReplay](http://www.stuckonreplay.org/about/ ""). Mackey is a graduate fellow of the Institute for Non-Profit Management and Leadership from Tufts University. In 2017, he was nominated twice and awarded for his work on criminal justice reform, striving to ensure that those affected by mass incarceration are heard and influencing policymakers throughout the state of Massachusetts. Mackey is the recipient of numerous community recognition awards. He received the Ralph F. Browne Jr. award (2017) and the Community Partner Award (2017), for working with the \_[I Have A Future](https://twitter.com/wehaveafuture?lang=en "")\_ movement to end youth criminalization and increase youth opportunity. He received the Aspiring the Youth Award (2016) for his significant contribution to the African American Community in the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Social Capitalist Award (2016) for personifying the spirit of strengthening communities through civic engagement and volunteering his time by impacting the lives of others, leveraging his personal and professional network to make a difference. Mackey is extremely passionate about community organization and striving to make true social justice a reality. He is devoted to youth engagement, mentoring, and advocating the importance of allocating resources and opportunities to those who need it most. In the summer of 2016, Mackey's story was featured on \_NBC Nightly News\_ because of his YouthBuild experience and his dedication toward positively empowering and impacting his family and the lives of others for the better. Photo: James Mackey on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mrjamesmackey "James Mackey on Twitter")
Rahsaan Hall is the Director of the Racial Justice Program for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. In this role Rahsaan helps develop the ACLU of Massachusetts’ integrated advocacy approach to address racial justice issues. Through legislative advocacy, litigation and community engagement, the program works on issues that deeply impact communities of color and historically disenfranchised communities. Prior to joining the ACLU of Massachusetts, Rahsaan was the Deputy Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice where his work included policy and legislative advocacy, community outreach, and maintaining a litigation caseload of voting rights, police misconduct and public accommodations cases. Rahsaan headed up the Voting Rights Project that included the coordination of the statewide Election Protection initiatives, voting rights litigation and his prior involvement in community coalitions on redistricting after the last decennial census.
Sonia Chang-Díaz is the first Latina and first Asian-American elected to the Massachusetts State Senate, where she served for 14 years. During that time Sonia wrote, championed, and won landmark education funding reforms to provide $1.5 billion annually in new aid to K-12 districts across the state.