Juvenile Justice Matters  

The FACE Movement is an advocacy group based in Salt Lake City, Utah that has mobilized itself to improve the conditions of oppressed people within their community. The Movement is against adult trials, sentencing and incarceration for juveniles in Utah, which allows for juveniles who commit certain crimes to be automatically certified as adults. Joining us today are Lola Reyes, Asaeli Matelau and Isaac Giron who are core members of the FACE Movement. Lola Reyes is an activist from SLC Utah, co-chair of Movimiento Estandiantil Chicana/no de Aztlan (Mecha) and is also involved with the SLC Autonomous Brown Berets, a community civil rights organization that advocates against the discrimination of people of color. Asaeli Matelau is a youth advocate who utilizes personal stories of youth who have encountered the adult justice system to campaign for the empowerment of youth. Isaac Giron is a founding member of the SLC Autonomous Brown Berets, a community organizer and anti-war activist. He is an outspoken fighter against police brutality against youth, and for the rights of immigrants and people of color. The FACE Movement aims to bring awareness to the consequences of the juvenile certification process that tries children as adults, a trend that disproportionately affects minority communities. The FACE Movement advocates for providing opportunities for juvenile offenders, rather than punitive sentencing in adult prisons and recently started a mentoring program. Be sure to join us live this Thursday at 4:30 PM EST!