About Us
“In the long run, the people are our only appeal. The only ones who can free us are ourselves.”
— Assata Shakur
Our Community
33
Illinois Department of Corrections Facilities
1,330
Ecosystem Partners
and
1,200
Incarcerated Partners
in
alongside a network of reentry organizations, legal advocates, and social justice groups.
Our system-impacted community members are not passive recipients of reform — they are essential co-strategists shaping the solutions, policies, and priorities of today.
Founded in 2019, the Illinois Alliance for Reentry & Justice is an organization that serves as the network facilitator dedicated to dreaming and remaking justice into systems of care and accountability that serve everyone’s needs. By uniting currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, those directly impact, service providers, advocates, stakeholders, and allies, ILARJ fosters a comprehensive, 360-degree perspective on justice revolutionized and remade.
ILARJ is led entirely by individuals from BIPOC, marginalized, and directly impacted communities — people whose lived experience informs every facet of our work. This grounding in firsthand knowledge is not just foundational; it’s our greatest strength.
Complementing this internal leadership is a robust, statewide network of
Our Team
The Illinois Alliance for Reentry & Justice is proud to be led by directly-impacted advocates, artists, and community leaders. We are fully committed to creating opportunities for persons leaving carceral settings. The majority of ILARJ employees are directly-impacted, and many others have lived experience with persons who are directly-impacted.
