Arizona Justice Reform Alliance
AJRA is dedicated to building connection, coordination, and collective power across Arizona’s justice reform community.
About the AJRA
Through events, working groups, education, storytelling, and advocacy, the Arizona Justice Reform Alliance (AJRA) creates space for people across the state to learn from one another, develop shared strategies to advance meaningful reforms.
AJRA’s work is rooted in the belief that lasting change requires collaboration across communities, issues, and lived experiences.
The Alliance helps organize Justice Reform Advocacy Day, supports issue-based working groups, and strengthens opportunities for people to engage in policy and issue advocacy at the Arizona State Capitol and beyond.
Alliance Working Groups
This is a statewide group of directly impacted people, family members, advocates, organizers, legal professionals, policy partners, and community leaders working together to reform Arizona’s felony murder statute.
The group meets virtually on a monthly basis to discuss reform opportunities, strengthen shared messaging, develop narrative strategy, and support campaign planning.
Members bring diverse perspectives from across Arizona, including people directly impacted by felony murder prosecutions, incarceration, sentencing, and the broader criminal legal system.
Felony Murder Working Group
The Unresolved Cases Working Group is a statewide group of directly impacted families, advocates, community leaders committed to improving Arizona’s response to unresolved homicides, missing persons cases, unidentified remains, and other long-term unresolved cases.
The group meets regularly to discuss policy solutions, narrative strategy, public education, and campaign development that centers families still waiting for answers.
The Unresolved Cases Working Group is building momentum for investments that help solve cases, support families, and restore trust in Arizona’s justice and public safety systems.
Unresolved Cases Working Group
Annual Justice Reform Advocacy Day
Justice Reform Advocacy Day is a statewide gathering planned and organized by family members impacted by incarceration, crime survivors, formerly incarcerated people, and advocates committed to advancing criminal justice reform in Arizona.
The event brings together directly impacted leaders, community organizations, students, faith leaders, service providers, and policy partners for a meaningful day of skill-building, storytelling, policy education, coalition-building, and shared strategy at the Arizona State Capitol. Through these experiences, participants deepen their understanding of Arizona’s justice system and strengthen their resolve and skill to advocate for policies rooted in safety, accountability, restoration, and dignity.
Justice Reform Advocacy Day is more than a single event. It is part of a growing movement to unite people across Arizona who believe our justice system should be more effective, more humane, and more responsive to the needs of families, survivors, incarcerated people, formerly incarcerated people, and impacted communities. Together, we are building the relationships, strategies, and collective power needed to create lasting change.
Each year, Justice Reform Advocacy Day has reached full capacity, reflecting the growing demand for meaningful justice reform advocacy and the strength of Arizona’s expanding reform community.
2024
2025
2026
JRAD Keynote Speakers
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Ray Krone
Founder of Witness to Innocence
Arizona Death Row Survivor
Inaugural Justice Reform Advocacy Day Keynote - 2024
Ray Krone is an Arizona death row exoneree who spent more than 10 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. Wrongfully convicted in 1992 based largely on flawed bite mark evidence, he was exonerated by DNA testing in 2002. Ray became the 100th person freed from death row due to innocence in the modern death penalty era and now speaks nationally about wrongful convictions, forensic failures, and the urgent need for criminal justice reform. He is founder of Witness to Innocence, a national organization focused on amplifying the voices of those wrongfully convicted and dedicated to advocating against the death penalty. -
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Jule Hall
Assistant Director of Ambassadors and External Programs at the Innocence Project
Justice Reform Advocacy Day Keynote - 2025
Jule Hall is a justice reform advocate, Bard Prison Initiative alumnus, and Assistant Director of Ambassadors and External Programs at the Innocence Project. Sentenced to 22 years to life at age 17, Jule earned a college degree while incarcerated and was featured in the Emmy-nominated documentary College Behind Bars. Since his release, he has worked nationally to expand prison education, restore access to Pell Grants for incarcerated students, support reentry and employment opportunities, and advance efforts to free the wrongfully convicted and transform the criminal legal system. -
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Amanda Erickson
Director of She Cried That Day
Justice Reform Advocacy Day Keynote - 2026
Amanda Erickson is an Indigenous storyteller, filmmaker, and founder of Sees Clearly Productions. Born for the San Carlos Apache of the White Water Clan, Amanda spent more than 16 years producing content for networks including Travel Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Discovery+, Hulu, and CuriosityStream before transitioning to independent documentary filmmaking. Her directorial debut, She Cried That Day, explores the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) crisis through the voices of Indigenous women and allies working on the frontlines. Through her work, Amanda elevates Indigenous perspectives, advances community healing, and brings urgent Native issues to broader audiences. -
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Karen Watson
Survivor Advocate
Justice Reform Advocacy Day Keynote - 2026Karen Watson is an advocate, family member, and powerful voice for families impacted by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives crisis. Her sister, Dione Thomas, and her family’s journey for truth are featured in the award-winning documentary She Cried That Day. Through her advocacy, Karen honors her sister’s story while standing alongside families searching for answers, accountability, and healing. She brings compassion, lived experience, and fierce commitment to this work, meeting families where they are and helping turn grief into hope, visibility, and action.
Reviews
“Amazing networking experience for nonprofit movements and services!”
— 2024 Community Member Attendee“The speakers who spoke really stood out to me... I also loved how the group of leaders was diverse and a wealth of knowledge in their fields.”
— 2026 Crime Survivor Attendee“What stood out for this reform space, from a survivor-led organization point of view, is it felt genuine in creating unity moving reform...”
— 2025 Crime Survivor Attendee“Phenomenal keynote speakers and group sharing strategy!”
— 2025 Criminal Reform Advocate Attendee“I learned justice is more than helping those incarcerated reenter into society. It also includes justice for victims.”
— 2026 Legal Advocate Attendee“Y'all were really committed to getting us a chance to speak with a representative and truly went above and beyond. It was beautiful, thank you”
— 2024 Non Profit Organization Leader Attendee
Justice reform in Arizona will not be won by one organization, one event, or one voice.
It will take Arizonans from all lived experiences, formerly incarcerated, survivors, families, advocates, and communities, working together beyond one conversation, collaboration, one event to build the future our state deserves.
Founding Alliance Members
Justice Reform Advocacy Day was founded by Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona and FREE Arizona, two organizations committed to building a more effective, humane, and community-centered justice system in Arizona.
