Clemency for Anwar Vivian
The Issue
Welcome to the #FREEANWAR Campaign
INTRODUCTION
This petition was developed to supplement Anwar Vivian's commutation hearing. Our goal is to provide background information, evidence of Anwar’s successful rehabilitation, and an actionable and thorough re-entry plan into civilization. Specifically, we aim to provide the Board of Pardons with information about Anwar’s life prior to his incarceration, the steps he has taken to educate and rehabilitate himself while incarcerated, the impact his absence has left on the community as well as the impact he hopes to make upon returning, and the many supporters that await him if/when he is released. We have also developed comprehensive housing and employment plans to aid in Anwar's re-entry process.
ANWAR'S BACKGROUND
Anwar’s upbringing has not been fair to him. His father died when he was an infant and his mother died when he was 7 years old. Both of his parents died from drug overdose. After experiencing both of his parents’ deaths, Anwar and his 3 siblings (from his mother’s side) were all separated, living with different relatives. Anwar went on to live with one of his aunts in Florida. She provided a structured home for Anwar and made sure that he stayed on track. Anwar went to a good school and was involved in little league sports, summer camps, and church. Unfortunately, his living conditions with his aunt were short lived. During a holiday, when Anwar was 9 years old, he went to live with his family in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, Anwar quickly found himself living in an environment infested with drugs and violence, which became a recipe for his destruction. Inappropriately, this environment in Philadelphia enabled and encouraged him to hang out on street corners, which ultimately led him to the predicament he finds himself in today.
Anwar’s childhood relinquished parts of his innocence at a tender young age, which negatively shaped his perception. He believed the only way to survive and to try to fit in was on the streets. He had no positive male guidance in his life. The males that were in Anwar’s young life manipulated him to sell drugs. Violence and drugs were pervasive and often unavoidable, a reality that hindered Anwar’s confidence and self-esteem.
Anwar has served over 21 years of his Life Without Parole (LWOP) sentence. He's now in his 40's and is a completely changed man. His favorite things to do are practice his faith, listen to good music, mentor young people, be fit and healthy, read, write poetry and bond with his family. His career goals are to be a fitness trainer, a construction entrepreneur and a published writer. He deeply wishes to be reunited with his family members. He wants to get married and live a life as a husband and father. Anwar has been jailed for biased purposes and received a sentence that was excessive. According to his LWOP sentence, he may not be released from prison for a crime he committed when he was 22 years old.
Anwar takes full responsibility for his actions. He has dedicated the last 21 plus years to reflection and growth, using his spiritual growth as a mechanism to express his remorse. He has always been honest and upfront about his past, while remaining optimistic and hopeful about the present and the future.
ANWAR'S TRANSFORMATION
Anwar is a mentor and dedicated family man who demonstrated profound growth over the past 21 plus years. To the years of commitment to his own betterment and with the support of his friends, family and community, Anwar has become a reflective, thoughtful and self-aware man. He has developed his emotional intelligence and consistently expresses remorse for his past.
Over the years, Anwar’s spiritual embracement has enabled him to reflect on his life and his past actions through his spiritual growth. It is through his spiritual growth that he has been able to grapple more deeply with his feelings surrounding his crime. His spiritual growth has become an avenue through which he has been able to more fully express his remorse. Additionally, Anwar has taken his growth and brought it to incarcerated youths encouraging healthy self-expression. His mentoring was centered around the understanding that everyone’s individual experiences inform their perception of the world and sharing these perspectives through verbal communication can bring people closer together. His mentoring demonstrates a deep and passionate belief that the capacity for change is integral to the human condition, and he has embodied this change in this path to redemption.
Through this reflection, Anwar has come to understand that his actions, both positive and negative, have important and lasting consequences. He has consistently participated in prison programs to improve himself so that he is in a better position to give back in meaningful ways. Beyond his endeavors, Anwar has remained active in many prison programs, doing what he can do to help himself and others. He remains deeply optimistic that some day, he'll get out of prison, against the odds.
YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
Your voice joins a wealth of supporters fighting for change in the criminal justice system throughout the Commonwealth, from elected officials to progressive activists throughout the public and private sectors. Your support matters. Whether clemency for Anwar ultimately comes from the court system or from the Board of Pardons and the Office of the Governor, we thank you for contributing to the growing swell of support. It matters. And it will change one man’s life for the better – a man who has dedicated his life to helping others.
Anwar wishes he never lost his way and never reacted the way he did in the tragic situation that landed him in prison. He is extremely remorseful for the crime he was convicted of and deeply empathetic to the family it affected. However, we 100% believe he has changed and has turned his entire life around to become a valued member of society.
Anwar has maintained strong and meaningful social relationships with his family and friends during his incarceration. Anwar’s many letters of support convinces him there is a community of individuals eagerly awaiting his return. Anwar remains extremely close with his fiance (who built Anwar's social media presence for Gov. Tom Wolf and the public to see), his siblings, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. He maintains friendships that have spanned decades and continue to make new relationships.
Beyond Anwar’s exemplary behavior and achievements, he continues to strive in learning more while incarcerated, receiving his GED and many certifications. Currently, Anwar is waiting to be enrolled in Villanova University to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. Research indicates that post-secondary education of incarcerated individuals prepares the inmate psychologically for re-entry into the free world, resulting in a decrease in recidivism.
WHERE TO SEND DONATIONS
Donations will assist Anwar with his health and legal fees in support of his commutation hearing held by the Board of Pardons and approved by the Governor. Please don't send donations on Change.org because we won't get it, they will. Thank you.
Donation link: https://donorbox.org/clemency-for-anwar-vivian
Thank you! Team #FreeAnwar
FREE ANWAR VIVIAN!
The Issue
Welcome to the #FREEANWAR Campaign
INTRODUCTION
This petition was developed to supplement Anwar Vivian's commutation hearing. Our goal is to provide background information, evidence of Anwar’s successful rehabilitation, and an actionable and thorough re-entry plan into civilization. Specifically, we aim to provide the Board of Pardons with information about Anwar’s life prior to his incarceration, the steps he has taken to educate and rehabilitate himself while incarcerated, the impact his absence has left on the community as well as the impact he hopes to make upon returning, and the many supporters that await him if/when he is released. We have also developed comprehensive housing and employment plans to aid in Anwar's re-entry process.
ANWAR'S BACKGROUND
Anwar’s upbringing has not been fair to him. His father died when he was an infant and his mother died when he was 7 years old. Both of his parents died from drug overdose. After experiencing both of his parents’ deaths, Anwar and his 3 siblings (from his mother’s side) were all separated, living with different relatives. Anwar went on to live with one of his aunts in Florida. She provided a structured home for Anwar and made sure that he stayed on track. Anwar went to a good school and was involved in little league sports, summer camps, and church. Unfortunately, his living conditions with his aunt were short lived. During a holiday, when Anwar was 9 years old, he went to live with his family in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, Anwar quickly found himself living in an environment infested with drugs and violence, which became a recipe for his destruction. Inappropriately, this environment in Philadelphia enabled and encouraged him to hang out on street corners, which ultimately led him to the predicament he finds himself in today.
Anwar’s childhood relinquished parts of his innocence at a tender young age, which negatively shaped his perception. He believed the only way to survive and to try to fit in was on the streets. He had no positive male guidance in his life. The males that were in Anwar’s young life manipulated him to sell drugs. Violence and drugs were pervasive and often unavoidable, a reality that hindered Anwar’s confidence and self-esteem.
Anwar has served over 21 years of his Life Without Parole (LWOP) sentence. He's now in his 40's and is a completely changed man. His favorite things to do are practice his faith, listen to good music, mentor young people, be fit and healthy, read, write poetry and bond with his family. His career goals are to be a fitness trainer, a construction entrepreneur and a published writer. He deeply wishes to be reunited with his family members. He wants to get married and live a life as a husband and father. Anwar has been jailed for biased purposes and received a sentence that was excessive. According to his LWOP sentence, he may not be released from prison for a crime he committed when he was 22 years old.
Anwar takes full responsibility for his actions. He has dedicated the last 21 plus years to reflection and growth, using his spiritual growth as a mechanism to express his remorse. He has always been honest and upfront about his past, while remaining optimistic and hopeful about the present and the future.
ANWAR'S TRANSFORMATION
Anwar is a mentor and dedicated family man who demonstrated profound growth over the past 21 plus years. To the years of commitment to his own betterment and with the support of his friends, family and community, Anwar has become a reflective, thoughtful and self-aware man. He has developed his emotional intelligence and consistently expresses remorse for his past.
Over the years, Anwar’s spiritual embracement has enabled him to reflect on his life and his past actions through his spiritual growth. It is through his spiritual growth that he has been able to grapple more deeply with his feelings surrounding his crime. His spiritual growth has become an avenue through which he has been able to more fully express his remorse. Additionally, Anwar has taken his growth and brought it to incarcerated youths encouraging healthy self-expression. His mentoring was centered around the understanding that everyone’s individual experiences inform their perception of the world and sharing these perspectives through verbal communication can bring people closer together. His mentoring demonstrates a deep and passionate belief that the capacity for change is integral to the human condition, and he has embodied this change in this path to redemption.
Through this reflection, Anwar has come to understand that his actions, both positive and negative, have important and lasting consequences. He has consistently participated in prison programs to improve himself so that he is in a better position to give back in meaningful ways. Beyond his endeavors, Anwar has remained active in many prison programs, doing what he can do to help himself and others. He remains deeply optimistic that some day, he'll get out of prison, against the odds.
YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
Your voice joins a wealth of supporters fighting for change in the criminal justice system throughout the Commonwealth, from elected officials to progressive activists throughout the public and private sectors. Your support matters. Whether clemency for Anwar ultimately comes from the court system or from the Board of Pardons and the Office of the Governor, we thank you for contributing to the growing swell of support. It matters. And it will change one man’s life for the better – a man who has dedicated his life to helping others.
Anwar wishes he never lost his way and never reacted the way he did in the tragic situation that landed him in prison. He is extremely remorseful for the crime he was convicted of and deeply empathetic to the family it affected. However, we 100% believe he has changed and has turned his entire life around to become a valued member of society.
Anwar has maintained strong and meaningful social relationships with his family and friends during his incarceration. Anwar’s many letters of support convinces him there is a community of individuals eagerly awaiting his return. Anwar remains extremely close with his fiance (who built Anwar's social media presence for Gov. Tom Wolf and the public to see), his siblings, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. He maintains friendships that have spanned decades and continue to make new relationships.
Beyond Anwar’s exemplary behavior and achievements, he continues to strive in learning more while incarcerated, receiving his GED and many certifications. Currently, Anwar is waiting to be enrolled in Villanova University to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. Research indicates that post-secondary education of incarcerated individuals prepares the inmate psychologically for re-entry into the free world, resulting in a decrease in recidivism.
WHERE TO SEND DONATIONS
Donations will assist Anwar with his health and legal fees in support of his commutation hearing held by the Board of Pardons and approved by the Governor. Please don't send donations on Change.org because we won't get it, they will. Thank you.
Donation link: https://donorbox.org/clemency-for-anwar-vivian
Thank you! Team #FreeAnwar
FREE ANWAR VIVIAN!
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on April 23, 2022