My brother jamel is great candidate for the Clemecy initiative. He has completed 70% of his 20 year sentence, and since 2008, he has had a clean disciplinary history. My brother has been incarcerated since the age of 17. Since his incarceration he has become the hallmark of change . Jamel has taken a number of steps to use his time productively to rehabilitate himself during his incarceration Jamel has obtained an associate’s degree in liberal arts from bard college (BPI). He is also currently working on obtaining his master’s degree in professional studies from New York theological seminary, which is available only to the most qualified students in the New York State prison system! While working to obtain his master’s , Jamel enrolled in a financial empowerment class given by Columbia business school. In addition to the aforementioned, Jamel has completed hundreds of hours in other volunteer programs such as: AVP (alternative to violence project), in which he has accumulated more than 250 hours of facilitating workshops that focused on community building, and uniting youth through universal barriers. Jamel also mentored at Risk youth for 3 and a half years YAP (the youth assistance program) , a program designed to assist at risk youth in making a positive life choices. He has taken a number of classes to become a HIV peer facilitator through the pace program. (prisoners for Aids counseling and education) in conjunction with the Osborne association and criminal justice initiative. Jamel has participated in the exodus transitional community, which gives seminars on community re-entry and family re-unification. He is a published writer , and was also the Vice President of the NAACP (National association for the advancement of colored people) for one year. My brother Jamel’s journey since going to prison proves that adolescents who commit crime are amenable to change when given the opportunity to do so. 
   Jamel’s petition is already being reviewed by the Clemecy initiative. In this time of crisis, his application should be considered sooner rather than later for compassionate release. My brother Jamel has successfully rehabilitated  himself, and he has become a pillar in my life and lives of other young people who struggle With issues such as: peer pressure, self esteem, and their identity. 
Jamel has demonstrated that he is ready to be an active member of society, and live a law-abiding lifestyle. Please join me in this advocacy to bring my brother Jamel home to his family where he belongs, and push for the release of many other incarcerated individuals who have shown multiple examples of what rehabilitation is supposed to mean. Please sign this petition in support of the decision to grant Jamel brown executive clemency. Please allow Jamel an opportunity to put all the great self work he had done within the last 14 years to use and gain his freedom. Maya Angelou once said, “when a person shows you who they are, believe them!” And over the years my brother has shown me, my family, and our community who he truly is.

FREEDOMFORJAMEL!

Thank you for your support.

From the family of Jamel brown