Upcoming and Recent Events
Learn about CELWOP’s recent work and join us for advocacy or community events in support of our mission.
April 23, 2025. Lobby Day to End Life Without Parole, 10:00 am., MA State House, 24 Beacon St., Boston, MA, Room 437. This bill gives all incarcerated persons the opportunity for a parole hearing after serving 25 years of their sentence. This legislation guarantees a hearing, but not parole, and provides each incarcerated individual with the opportunity to participate in a restorative justice program. An Act to Reduce Mass Incarceration (SB.1178/HB.2052), Sponsored by Senator Liz Miranda and Representative Christopher Worrell.
April 15, 2025. Lobby Day on three critical reform bills, MA State House. Join a coalition of advocacy organizations at the State House to lobby for three bills related to improving conditions of confinement and decarceration. Training on lobby day logistics, how to speak to legislators and staffers, and talking points on each bill will be provided. Learn more and register here: https://tinyurl.com/dignitylobbyday.
April 7th, 2025. Town Hall to prepare for the lobby day. Join us to discuss how best to advocate with elected officials about policy priorities to support dignity for incarcerated people in Massachusetts. Whether you are new to talking to politicians or are a seasoned activist who wants to better understand the priority bills, learn more and register here.
March 29, 2025. Legislative Advocacy Skills, Strategies, and Solidarity: Building Collective Power to Change the Law, Boston University School of Law, 765 Commonwealth Avenue, Classroom 103, First Floor, March 29, 2025, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm. This event will bring together Boston-area legal and community organizations to share the legislative advocacy skills and strategies that they have employed in their efforts to promote greater healing, dignity, and freedom in Massachusetts. The panel will be followed by a Q&A session. Information and registration available here.
March 18-19, 2025. Conference on College in Prison: Equity and the Carceral System, Emerson Prison Initiative, in person and online.
March 12, 2025. Legislative Advocacy for Decarceration and Human Rights, Webinar, 7:00-8:30 pm. Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts will lead a quick introduction to the Massachusetts legislature, how bills get passed, and key points in the legislative timeline that advocates should keep an eye on. Copy of the webinar presentation.
March 6, 2025. Legislative Briefing on Parole Reform, State House Room 222, Boston, MA, 1:00 - 2:30 pm. Cynthia Goldberg, Community Organizer for CELWOP attended this event.
Selected Past Events
June 22, 2024. Restoring Hope: A Path Towards Healing and Accountability, BU Law, 765 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 211, 3:00 - 6:00 PM. Discuss ways to address harm caused by violence and incarceration and explore paths forward that focus on healing and accountability rather than punishment and banishment. More information here.
It Finally Happened! Massachusetts bans life without parole for adults under 21 in a landmark decision! The following related quotes are from the Daily Free Press, The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University, 01/26/2024.
“I think this ruling is going to help those who have struggled early on in life be able to get a fresh start, and not have to be a victim to the circumstances that they’re born into.” — Tegan Retzer, Vice President of BU Prison Outreach Initiative
November 8, 2024. Lobby Day to End Live without Parole and Extreme Sentencing, 10:00 a.m. Meet at the Hall of Flags, MA State House, 24 Beacon St., Boston, MA.
September 20, 2024. Where There Is People There is Power, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm at the State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA. This event is sponsored by the Campaign to End Life without Parole (CELWOP) and We Are Joint Venture in collaboration with The Harriet Tubman Project and Mass Second Look.
July 27, 2024. On behalf of the Campaign to End Life without Parole (CELWOP) and The F8 Foundation, Cynthia Goldberg, Community Organizer for CELWOP, testified before the MA Judiciary Committee in support of bills S.1045 An Act to Reduce Mass Incarceration and H.3962 An Act Regarding Joint Venture.
April 8, 2024. Learn and Build. (Find details and meeting location here.) This meeting is sponsored by We Are Joint Venture and described as follows. “We will use this time to discuss pressing issues within the community and judicial system. Legislators, law makers, community residents, judges and lawyers will attend, as well as collaborative organizations and guest speakers. Our goal is to have informative conversations surrounding topics such as Raise the Age, Joint Venture, and Life without Parole. We will not only identify and discuss the issues, but also collectively brainstorm and build solutions. To evolve, some history has to be forgotten, and some history has to be enlightened… Every voice counts.” For more information see We Are Joint Venture’s Facebook page.
September 20, 2023. Rally to end Life Without Parole, September 20, 2023, Massachusetts State House
September 13, 2022. Welcome Home William, 6:00-7:30 pm. Brockton Interfaith Community at Christ Congregational Church, 1350 Pleasant St., Brockton, MA
September 22, 2021. The Power of Education, Inside and Out, lead by Eugene Ivey, Shakir Abdullah, and Joseph Irizarry, Tufts University.
