The National Bail Out is a Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers, and activists building a community-based movement to support our folks in abolishing pretrial detention systems and dismantling the prison industrial complex. We are people who have been impacted by cages — either by being in them ourselves or witnessing our families and loved ones be encaged. We are queer, trans, young, elder, and immigrant.
A photo of Leslie Turner smiling while hugging a child.
What we do:
The National Bail Out collective coordinates the Mama’s Day Bail Outs, where we bail out as many Black Mamas and caregivers as we can so they can spend Mother’s Day with their families where they belong!
The National Bail Out collective provides fellowship and employment opportunities for those we bail out to support their growth and create a national community of leaders who have experienced incarceration.
We also work with groups across the country to support ongoing bail reform efforts and create resources for organizers and advocates interested in ending pretrial detention.
A photo of a person with sunglasses smiling and sitting on a bench in front of a sign saying “Money Kept You In Black Love Got You Out.”
Why we do it:
Every day, tens of thousands of people languish in jail simply because they cannot afford bail. In addition to the $25 billion wasted on incarcerating people convicted of no crime, pretrial incarceration has catastrophic impacts on families and communities. Black people are incarcerated at nearly five times the rate of white people and, once arrested, are twice as likely to be caged before trial. Our LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming families are targeted and caged at even more alarming rates, and once in jail, they are significantly more likely to be sexually and physically abused.
Many of the Mamas and caregivers we bail out end up in cages because the state has failed to provide housing, employment opportunities, and health care. Most people are in cages because they are poor, Black, and in a time of crisis, whether it is a mental health crisis, an addiction crisis, an economic crisis, or an accumulation of crises. Instead of treating people with dignity and addressing the underlying cause of the crisis, our government responds to Black people in crisis by criminalizing and incarcerating us.
A photo of three people smiling and posing for the camera.
The National Bail Out collective is committed to freeing our people through bail outs, advocacy, and leadership development. We believe that pretrial reform must be led by communities most impacted and not by institutional actors or corporate interests, who are entrenched and benefit from the current system. Our communities are real experts and are best equipped to name the problems and mold the solutions. We are working to make sure our people are out of cages and have the tools and resources they need to advocate for themselves!
A photo of a person with their first up, wearing an “Essie Justice Group” grey sweater and purple mask, standing in front of a maroon car with “#We Come 4 Ours” painted on the back mirror.
What we are up to:
This year, we have three priorities:
Bail Outs
Building Political Community
Thought Leadership
A photo of a group of people sitting and standing next to each other posing for a picture.
History:
The National Bail Out (NBO) collective came together in recognition of the devastating harm and disproportionate impact that money bail and pretrial detention have on our communities as Black people. We believe that as members of these communities, we are best equipped to collectively assess and create solutions to address these harms.
Staff:
A black and white photo of Tatiana wearing glasses, smiling with her right hand on her cheek.
A black and white photo of Tia wearing a sweatshirt and large hoop earrings, smiling in front of the ocean.
A black and white photo of Yabsera wearing a winter jacket, smiling in front of a building.
Tatiana Lima, Director of Systems and Strategy
Tatiana is a passionate advocate for self-determination and human rights. She was born in the Bronx, New York, but has spent most of her life in Atlanta, GA. She is a Georgia State University alumna, where she earned both an undergraduate degree in African American Studies and a juris doctorate in law. Her experience includes work as a grassroots organizer, scholar-activist, policy advocate, legal consultant, and criminal defense and transactional attorney. Her favorite things in the world are her son, Geronimo, hiking to waterfalls, and creating digital art.
Tia Hassell, Director of Operations
Tia is an Atlanta transplant and a proud North Carolina Central University alumna. She majored in Mass Communication with a concentration in Broadcast Media. She discovered her passion for criminal justice reform by supporting historically underserved youth through volunteer efforts and direct impact. Her ultimate goal is to empower and educate her community. In her free time, Tia enjoys listening to music and creating content, whether it be video editing, photography, or special projects.
Yabsera Faris, Director of Communications
Yabsera is a Black feminist cultural worker invested in making the revolution for liberation irresistible. She is a Goucher College alumna, where she earned an undergraduate degree in Women, Gender, Sexuality, and Africana Studies. As a strategic communicator, she uses a Black, queer, and abolitionist politic to inspire and agitate audiences into imagining a world where everyone is cared for.
Advisory Committee:
Center for Resilient Individuals, Families, and Communities
Essie Justice Group
Philadelphia Community Bail Fund
Southerners on New Ground
The Ordinary People's Society
Official Black Lives Matter Memphis
Dignity and Power Now
Acknowledgment of Past Contributors:
NBO wishes to recognize the staff, interns, consultants, and committee members who have contributed to the vitality of the organization since it was launched. These include:
Former Staff and Consultants:
Arissa Hall, Project Director
Delaine Powerful, Operations Coordinator
Harmony Phoenix, Intern and Resident Healer
Taylor Cambell, Communications Consultant
Former Advisory Committee Members:
Catherine Labiran, Black Alliance for Just Immigration
Ben Ndugga-Kabuyre, Black Alliance for Just Immigration
Serena Sebring, Blueprint NC
Sakira Cook, Color of Change
Erika Maye, Color of Change
Kristiana Jordan, Color of Change
Scott Roberts, Color of Change
Char Singleton, Formerly of Dream Defenders
Gina Clayton-Johnson, Essie Justice Group
Titilayo, Essie Justice Group
Reuben Jones, Frontline Dads
Je Naé Taylor, Gilda Papoose Collective
Samantha Master, Gilda Papoose Collective
Erica Perry, Law for Black Lives
Kayla Gore, My Sistah’s House
Lisa Clinton, Southerners on New Ground
Mary Hooks, Southerners on New Ground
Tarsha Jackson, Texas Organizing Project
Devohn Phillips, The Center for Resilient Individuals, Families, and Communities, and Southerners On New Ground
Dr. Nubian Sun, The Center for Resilient Individuals, Families, and Communities
Briana Perry, The Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter
Pastor Kenneth Glasgow, The Ordinary People’s Society
Groups We’ve Supported:
