Four States Outlawed Slavery in the 2022 Election. Now What?

    By NowThis

    Published on 1/31/2023 at 10:45 AM

    Slavery was on the ballot in five states during this year's midterms — yes, you read that right. Voters in four of the states opted to outlaw it. Here's what happens next.

    This video was made in collaboration with Galaxy Gives and REFORM Alliance. To learn more, visit galaxygives.com and reformalliance.com.

    More Videos

    How U.S. Courts have become increasingly political
    NowThis Impact
    E46

    How U.S. Courts have become increasingly political

    Here's how courts across the U.S. have become increasingly shaped by special interests over the past decade

    How Prosecutors Prosecute
    NowThis Impact
    E45

    How Prosecutors Prosecute

    We usually think about policing and prisons when it comes to mass incarceration, but we don't always talk about prosecutors — here's how prosecutorial discretion contributes to injustice within our criminal legal system, and what we can do to fix it

    How Technical Violations Result in People Returning to Jail
    NowThis Impact
    E44

    How Technical Violations Result in People Returning to Jail

    Missing curfew, crossing state lines, or marrying someone with a felony conviction aren't against the law, but they could land a formerly incarcerated person back in prison — here's how

    Building Equity for Black Informal Workers in Chicago
    NowThis Impact
    E43

    Building Equity for Black Informal Workers in Chicago

    'We're tiny, but when you look at the movement for Black lives, we're many' — Richard Wallace, founder and executive director of Equity and Transformation, has dedicated himself to helping create economic equality for Black informal workers in Chicago

    Does the U.S. *Actually* Have a Crime Problem?
    NowThis Impact
    E42

    Does the U.S. *Actually* Have a Crime Problem?

    Does crime really occur more in cities?

    The Toxic Locations of These Prisons Are Irreparably Affecting Inmates’ Health
    NowThis Impact
    E41

    The Toxic Locations of These Prisons Are Irreparably Affecting Inmates’ Health

    Inmates are reporting strange and enduring symptoms from persistent nose bleeds to cancer.

    What LGBTQIA+ Youth Encounter While Incarcerated
    NowThis Impact
    E40

    What LGBTQIA+ Youth Encounter While Incarcerated

    Despite accounting for approx 9.54% of our youth, LGBTQIA+ kids make up 20% of incarcerated young people in the U.S.

    How This Org Provides Resources for Trans Immigrants in Texas
    NowThis Impact
    E39

    How This Org Provides Resources for Trans Immigrants in Texas

    'We live in a state that is constantly attacking us, but we're not going to disappear' — Here's how this Texas-based organization is working to protect and celebrate the lives of trans immigrants

    What less SNAP dollars mean for low-income families
    NowThis Impact
    E38

    What less SNAP dollars mean for low-income families

    During the pandemic, extra SNAP dollars kept approx 4.2M people above the poverty line, but now that the boost is gone, how will those families fare

    NowWhat: Gender Expression
    NowThis Impact
    E37

    NowWhat: Gender Expression

    The beauty of drag & the harm of recent bans.‘It’s making people who don’t understand drag afraid’ — As anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation spreads, these drag performers are speaking out about the art form and what it’s meant to themThis video was made in collaboration with @galaxy_gives and @reform.

    Prisons Over Pupils: Where States Allocate Funding
    NowThis Impact
    E36

    Prisons Over Pupils: Where States Allocate Funding

    You don't have to guess whether the U.S. prioritizes its prisons or its schools more — just take a look at the numbers

    How One Man Channeled His Own Struggle Into a Fight for Others
    NowThis Impact
    E35

    How One Man Channeled His Own Struggle Into a Fight for Others

    'Our vote, our voice, and our time' — After overcoming addiction and homelessness, Desmond Meade dedicated his life to fighting for formerly incarcerated Floridians

    How For-Profit Prisons Make Big Money From Phone Calls
    NowThis Impact
    E34

    How For-Profit Prisons Make Big Money From Phone Calls

    Imagine making 25 cents an hour and paying $3 for 15 minutes on the phone with your family — that's a reality for many incarcerated people.

    Carrot vs. Stick: An Analogy for Criminal Legal Systems
    NowThis Impact
    E33

    Carrot vs. Stick: An Analogy for Criminal Legal Systems

    Have you heard of the carrot vs. the stick analogy?

    How San Francisco's Income Inequality Reflects U.S. History
    NowThis Impact
    E32

    How San Francisco's Income Inequality Reflects U.S. History

    San Francisco's vast financial disparity is a microcosm of the nation's inequality, and as a result, it's become a political talking point.

    Pregnant in Prison: Giving Birth While Incarcerated
    NowThis Impact
    E31

    Pregnant in Prison: Giving Birth While Incarcerated

    Imagine giving birth chained to your hospital bed.

    Prison Debt: How Fines and Fees Keep People Trapped
    NowThis Impact
    E30

    Prison Debt: How Fines and Fees Keep People Trapped

    People who go through the criminal legal system are not just punished via incarceration; they also face fines and fees upon release

    Collateral Consequences of Incarceration: What They Mean & How You Can Make a Difference
    NowThis Impact
    E29

    Collateral Consequences of Incarceration: What They Mean & How You Can Make a Difference

    As many as 1 in 3 Americans have criminal records and, as a result, have to deal with collateral consequences.

    Here’s How Domestic Violence Survivors Are Criminalized
    NowThis Impact
    E28

    Here’s How Domestic Violence Survivors Are Criminalized

    ‘The only way that I was going to be a victim in their eyes [was] if I was the one who ended up dead’ — Survivors of intimate partner violence share how they ended up in prison

    The downfall of local news & what we can do about it
    NowThis Impact
    E27

    The downfall of local news & what we can do about it

    ‘How many Flint water crises are we missing because there’s no one covering them?’ — Without the resources they once had, local newspapers no longer have the bandwidth to cover stories like they used to, and that has dire consequences (with @penamerica)This video was made in collaboration with Galaxy Gives and REFORM Alliance.

    How This Woman is Making North Carolina More Equitable
    NowThis Impact
    E26

    How This Woman is Making North Carolina More Equitable

    ‘We don’t ever clock in and out of this work’ — Dreama Caldwell’s own encounters with inequity invigorated her passion for dissolving the barriers the working class faces

    This Community Leader Is Helping the Formerly Incarcerated Start Over
    NowThis Impact
    E25

    This Community Leader Is Helping the Formerly Incarcerated Start Over

    ‘At the epicenter of safety is community’ — Daryl Atkinson works to provide the most marginalized North Carolinians with second chances, reducing recidivism & restoring the dignity of those leaving prison

    Broken AC, Arsenic Water, Packed Bunks — Life As An Older Adult in Prison
    NowThis Impact
    E24

    Broken AC, Arsenic Water, Packed Bunks — Life As An Older Adult in Prison

    "Prisons were never designed to be nursing homes" — Approx $16 billion of taxpayer money is spent each year keeping individuals 50 years and older in prisons that put their health at risk

    The Origins of the Death Penalty & Its Stain on America
    NowThis Impact
    E23

    The Origins of the Death Penalty & Its Stain on America

    "It’s about vengeance and some of our ugliest societal impulses and urges" — We’re uncovering the roots of the death penalty in America & how it’s been allowed to continue

    Kids Are More Depressed Than Ever — Here’s What We Can Do
    NowThis Impact
    E22

    Kids Are More Depressed Than Ever — Here’s What We Can Do

    "They’re facing a different world than we did" — Youth mental health hasn’t plummeted in a vacuum.

    Could These Prisons Be Literally Poisoning Residents?
    NowThis Impact
    E21

    Could These Prisons Be Literally Poisoning Residents?

    "They’re treating those people as if they are garbage" — Prisons like this one in Pennsylvania are built in polluted areas, and the toxicity is suspected to be causing major health repercussions, even deaths among the incarcerated population

    How This Org is Helping the Formerly Incarcerated Pursue Higher Education
    NowThis Impact
    E20

    How This Org is Helping the Formerly Incarcerated Pursue Higher Education

    Leaving prison and coming to campus can be intimidating, but this org is helping those who’ve been incarcerated receive encouragement and support as they pursue higher education

    A Day’s Worth of Prison Food
    NowThis Impact
    E19

    A Day’s Worth of Prison Food

    Ever wonder what food in prison really looks like?

    This Woman Earned 3 Degrees During 23 Years in Prison
    NowThis Impact
    E18

    This Woman Earned 3 Degrees During 23 Years in Prison

    Romarilyn Ralston earned 3 degrees during her 23 years in prison.

    Voter Disenfranchisement, By the Numbers
    NowThis Impact
    E17

    Voter Disenfranchisement, By the Numbers

    Last year, 4.6 million people could not vote due to felony convictions — that’s 1 in every 50 adult citizens.

    Could Lyrics Get You Arrested? How Racism Impacts Rap
    NowThis Impact
    E16

    Could Lyrics Get You Arrested? How Racism Impacts Rap

    "Hip-hop and rap [are] targeted because [they are] dominated by young Black males and that’s unfortunate" — Young Thug and Gunna are just two of the many rappers who’ve faced charges for their lyrics.

    Regaining the Right to Vote in Mississippi
    NowThis Impact
    E15

    Regaining the Right to Vote in Mississippi

    "If this law didn’t exist, we could change some elections in Mississippi" — Nearly 1 in 10 Mississippians have lost their right to vote due to a prior felony conviction.

    Giving Birth While Incarcerated
    NowThis Impact
    E14

    Giving Birth While Incarcerated

    ‘We are all diamonds.

    Is Violent Crime on the Rise?
    NowThis Impact
    E13

    Is Violent Crime on the Rise?

    Certain crimes did spike in 2020, but not as much as some politicians and pundits say, and not for the reasons they’ve cited.

    Fighting Blight in Baltimore
    NowThis Impact
    E12

    Fighting Blight in Baltimore

    'The fight against blight is actually a fight for healthy, whole, vibrant communities’ — After seeing a group of kids playing near an unsafe demolition site, Baltimore resident Nneka N’namdi made it her mission to fight urban blight.

    The U.S. Is Failing Those Dealing With Addiction — Here’s What Must Change
    NowThis Impact
    E11

    The U.S. Is Failing Those Dealing With Addiction — Here’s What Must Change

    "If we want people to make different choices, we have to give them better options" — Here’s how we can rethink our response to people struggling with addiction

    Four States Outlawed Slavery in the 2022 Election. Now What?
    NowThis Impact
    E10

    Four States Outlawed Slavery in the 2022 Election. Now What?

    Slavery was on the ballot in five states during this year's midterms — yes, you read that right.

    Why Does the Criminal Legal System Treat Some Kids As Adults?
    NowThis Impact
    E9

    Why Does the Criminal Legal System Treat Some Kids As Adults?

    "Kids really are different in important ways that matter from a jurisprudential standpoint" — Modern science tells us that our brains are still developing up until our mid-20s, so why does our criminal legal system treat kids the same as adults

    How One Police Chief Is Changing the Conversation Around Addiction
    NowThis Impact
    E8

    How One Police Chief Is Changing the Conversation Around Addiction

    "[We have] more people dying of drugs than ever in the history of our country…what we’re doing is not working" — Here’s how an Ohio police chief is shifting the response to drug use from punishment to treatment

    How Probation and Parole Create Intergenerational Poverty
    NowThis Impact
    E7

    How Probation and Parole Create Intergenerational Poverty

    Probation and parole were historically meant to help individuals involved in the justice system get back on their feet, but they’ve since become barriers that keep people trapped in poverty — here’s what needs to change to truly support those leaving jails and prison

    Public Safety: How Do Community-Based Solutions Work?
    NowThis Impact
    E6

    Public Safety: How Do Community-Based Solutions Work?

    "It’s now time for us to invest, deeply, in community-based solutions as a complementary strategy to policing" — The Newark Community Street Team involves the community in violence intervention and response, modeling a new path forward

    John Legend: How Prop 47 Gives People a Clean Slate
    NowThis Impact
    E5

    John Legend: How Prop 47 Gives People a Clean Slate

    ‘How are we safer if 80 million people can’t get a job?’ — John Legend explains how expunging records not only helps formerly incarcerated individuals move forward but, in turn, creates a brighter future for whole communitiesThis video was made in collaboration with Galaxy Gives and REFORM Alliance.

    John Legend on How California's Prop 47 Invests in Public Safety
    NowThis Impact
    E4

    John Legend on How California's Prop 47 Invests in Public Safety

    California's Prop 47 is flipping the script on what ‘public safety’ means by prioritizing people over punishment — watch John Legend break down how it’s already helping communities in California

    How Technical Violations Keep Those on Parole or Probation Stuck
    NowThis Impact
    E3

    How Technical Violations Keep Those on Parole or Probation Stuck

    ‘We have created a generation of people who have to live their lives on the margins of society, and you can’t be safe on the margins’ — Here’s what technical violations are and why so many people get taken back to jail, not for breaking laws, but for simply breaking the rules

    America’s Prison System: Explained
    NowThis Impact
    E2

    America’s Prison System: Explained

    ‘Investments in people, not jails and prisons, leads to a decrease in crime’ — We’re breaking down the history and stats behind America’s prison system and the misconceptions that keep incarceration rates growing

    How Felonies Keep Formerly Incarcerated People Stuck
    NowThis Impact
    E1

    How Felonies Keep Formerly Incarcerated People Stuck

    Did you know that having a felony means you can’t coach a Little League team?