My name is Oceana, and I am writing this petition on behalf of my brother, Kenneth Gilliam. 

When I was a child, I picked fuzzy dandelions on my way to school and wished for one thing: to have my big brother home. I feel in my heart that this day is finally coming. I only wish that our mother could be here to see it.

In 2002, my brother was tried as an adult at only 16 years old and sentenced to 25 years to life. Kenneth would become one of the hundreds of Black boys who lost their childhoods due to California's most punitive criminal justice laws. He was wrongfully convicted of attempted murder and had enhancements placed on him due to suspected gang affiliation. During the court process, our family didn't understand our legal rights, and we didn't have the resources to afford a lawyer who would fight or care for Kenneth's life. We didn’t stand a chance. I still remember the night my parents came home from court, and my mother said through tears, “Oh God, they took my baby.” 

Today, it is evident that the criminal justice system disproportionately affects poor, Black communities. If my family wasn't a working, lower-income household from South Central Los Angeles, my brother might have had a much different outcome. 

Now, at 34 years old, my brother's freedom is long overdue. Having been unfairly tried and spending the last 19 years of his life imprisoned, Kenneth is fighting fiercely to get back home. He could have easily let the prison system break him, but he did not. My mother’s premature passing could have shattered him, yet he never lost hope. Through tragedy after tragedy, my brother has displayed an incredible level of perseverance and remains steadfast in his mission to seek justice. 

In the pursuit of freedom, Kenneth is taking full advantage of the limited opportunities available to him. He earned his high school diploma and became a tutor to help his peers earn their GEDs, he is a licensed barber, and he continues to excel in challenging leadership programs. Passionate about supporting the youth, Kenneth has even created a full program designed to help incarcerated youth cope with adverse childhood experiences to overcome adversity and achieve their dreams.

All of Kenneth's hard work, despite almost two decades of backbreaking pressure and trauma from prison, has been to get home and enjoy the rest of his life with his children, wife, and family. 

We are asking you to please consider signing this petition to help my brother hug his daughter, play football with his sons, and live a free life. We are asking only for your signature. Please help us bring Kenneth home. 

Peace, Love, + Blessings 

The Gilliam Family