His windows are never open. against draconian drug sentencesand how her work is only just beginning. Inspired by her own difficult experience as the daughter of an incarcerated mother, Brittany founded GEM to empower women in prison and their daughters to break the cycle of incarceration and lead . So far the fund has started two tech startups, two food trucks, and a cannabis brand. BKB: Its lost some of its innocence. More recently, she was part of the legal team that helped secure clemency from President Trump for Alice Johnson. "[28] The case led to Trump's support of the First Step Act,[29] which, among other things, retroactively applies the Fair Sentencing Act and increases the number of good conduct time credits prisoners receive. What now? [26] The Obama administration denied her petition for clemency in January 2017, however, after separate meetings with Kardashian West and her husband, Kanye West,[27] President Donald Trump commuted Johnson's sentence. Brittany K. Barnett: The writing process for me was therapeutic, in a sense, because I start with my childhood story of growing up as a Black girl in rural East Texas and dealing with the challenges of having a mother who was addicted to drugs and dealing with her ultimate incarceration. Young decided to fight for his day in court, but he would ultimately lose. Together with her former clients, Sharanda Jones and Corey Jacobs, Barnett founded Buried Alive, a nonprofit organization that battled federal drug laws that unjustly imprisoned people. She then went to Winstead PC in the Finance & Banking Practice Group. I made the decision to resign, and through President Obamas clemency initiative, I had seven clients receive clemency. GEM empowerswomen in prison and their daughters to break the cycle of incarceration. [26] The White House released a statement, saying "While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance. While in law school, Barnett completed internships with the Honorable Nancy F. Atlas in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and with the Honorable Rene H. Toliver in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Brittany K. Barnett is an American attorney and criminal justice reform advocate. Note: The link to register for the AFTER-HOURS will appear in red font at the top of your email receipt from The Book Stall. Whenever I think of it, I think of family. Thousands have had their lives changed due to her selflessness in meeting the needs of those in Prison. [16] Following her win, she partnered with Barnett in representing and successfully litigating the release of Alfred Rivera after serving 18 years of a life sentence for non-violent drug offenses. These are nonviolent drug offenses. Only two of us. July 19, 2021 Brittany K. Barnett: I love East Texas. Eligible to Practice in Texas Bar Card Number: 24078196 TX License Date: 11/04/2011 Primary Practice Location: Dallas , Texas 3400 Oak Grove Ave Ste 370 Dallas, TX 75204-2335 Practice Areas: None Reported By Attorney Statutory Profile Last Certified On: 03/03 . MV: Thats an incredible level of disproportion. I felt an obligation to be in those boardrooms as a Black woman to help pave the way for others. Thats part of why I wrote the book: to show what its like to grow up Black in Texas. 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Theyve each left their fingerprints on my soul. BKB: Over 80% of people in federal prison for drugs today are black and brown. [9], Barnett is the founder of Buried Alive, a criminal justice reform advocacy organization that she co-founded with former clients Sharanda Jones and Corey Jacobs. Clemency shouldnt be this big news story every once in a while. The leading resource for cannabis retailers and growers. Barnett is also the founder of Girls Embracing Mothers, a non-profit organization that provides support for girls with mothers in prison. Along with two of her clients, Sharanda Jones and Corey Jacobs, both of whom were serving life sentences without the possibility of parole before receiving clemency, Barnett co-founded the Buried Alive Project, a nonprofit that helps people like Jones and Jacobs. I decided there was nothing more urgent than freedom. It implemented the 100-to-1 ratio that was arbitrary and had no rational basis other than that its no secret that more affluent white people were using powder cocaine at the time and crack cocaine was running rampant through Black communities. Education is definitely key and there are local grassroots organizations people can find in their area that focus on transforming the criminal justice system that can help them get involved locally. Moved by Sharanda's plight, Brittany set to work to gain her freedom. Statutory Profile Last Certified On: 03/03/2021. Thats what we need more in this world, more love, more compassion, said Young. Ms. Barnett will be interviewed by Jeanne Bishop, assistant public defender in the Cook County Public Defender's Office and adjunct professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. I think all the time, How do I bridge the gap for my clients? Barnett ultimately ditched a career in corporate law to represent nonviolent drug offenders full-time. The panel of invited speakers included Barnett. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. Under the federal Three Strike law, defendants receive mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if they have three federal convictions for serious violent felonies or crimes related to drug trafficking. Practice Areas: None Reported By Attorney. She was just a rural East Texas girl with a big, supportive extended family and few cares in the world. Before shifting her entire focus toward civil rights endeavors, Barnett was on track for a lucrative career as a corporate lawyer, working on mergers and acquisitions. Thanks to Attorney Brittany K. Barnett and her team of civil rights lawyers, Young is free. Theyre serving life sentences today under yesterdays drug laws, so Im hoping we take several more steps toward restoring a sense of fairness that should be at the heart of the criminal legal system. Southern University Law Center is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Brittany K. Barnett is an award-winning attorney and entrepreneur focused on social impact investing. It was almost as if I was living a double life because I was working on these multimillion-dollar deals by day and working pro bono to get people out of prison at night. From a pen gun to a gun shoved inside a raw chicken, TSA says it found a record number of firearms in carry-on bags last year. Her tirelesswork hasfreednumerous individuals from overly harsh sentences imposed by draconian federal drug laws, including seven clients who received executive clemency from President Obama. Even with all of that, I still love East Texas. TM: In A Knock at Midnight, you talk about how writing letters to your mother in prison helped you process what you were feeling about her incarceration. And its not just trauma inflicted on my sister and me because of my moms addiction; it was trauma inflicted on my mom because she was criminalized. Regardless, Barnet maintained a close relationship with her after she was released. Through the organization Buried Alive, which she co-founded with Sharanda Jones and Corey Jacobs, she came to national attention when she and her co-counsel, MiAngel Cody, litigated the release of 17 people in 90 days. Of all people, she understands that prisoners are people who need love and care just like any other person. And we did. During this time she founded Girls Embracing Mothers Inc, a nonprofit organization empowering girls to break the beliefs of incarceration and live a purposeful life. This work has been her focus since then. , explores how that war shaped her life and career. When youre in it, you dont see how bad it is. Putting a Chris Young in prison for life does not make any more safer. This dream, however, had faded by the time she was in high school because there was no lawyer to look up to in her home area. [2] She then went to Winstead PC in the Finance & Banking Practice Group. She advocated for President Donald Trump to help get Young out of jail. I came to terms with trauma. We can get into ways of making prisons more comfortable, but the most important thing is releasing people. East Texas is my home. Cyndi Brown Before she specialized in getting people out of prison, Brittany K. Barnett was a young girl living in a wooden house in Fulbright, Texas.. They understand that. [10] The center provides funding and training to Buried Alive. As an SMU law student interning in a Houston court, Barnett had a front-row seat to the horrors created by the mandatory minimum laws sending generations of Black Texans to federal prison. The 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act passed with little to no legislative history. Brittany K. Barnett, better known by her family name Brittany K. Barnett, is a popular American attorney and criminal justice reform advocate. Please scroll down to see information about Brittany K. Barnett Social media profiles. Barnet disapproves of her mothers sentencing arguing that she did not deserve prison but a rehab. As I was writing, I started to wonder, Do we ever really process this? Barnett is from Texas. Have you picked up a copy of the October 2022 yet? She has also earned honors and awards. Required fields are marked *. It wasnt the stereotype you hear about with gang wars and rioting. Marijuana Venture is the leading B2B monthly publication for the cannabis industry. Through the organization Buried Alive, which she co-founded with Sharanda Jones and Corey Jacobs, she came to national attention when she and her co-counsel, MiAngel Cody, litigated the release of 17 people in 90 days. But Im not playing those games anymore. A lot of the pushback we get is we dont fund direct services. That organization is based in Dallas and we work to empower girls whose mothers are in prison. Another reason I wrote the book is to tell the truth about that. Some of the most brilliant people Ive met in my life are my clients. In the book, you see the positivity of Sharanda Jones (a woman from Terrell). [19], Barnett's book A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom was released on September 8, 2020. Texass Most Venomous Caterpillar, Texass First Nonalcoholic Bottle Shop Reflects the Shifting Culture Around Drinking. Through her recently published memoir, A Knock at Midnight, Brittany K. Barnett takes readers inside the U.S. criminal justice system and shows the devastating effects of the War on Drugs, both from the perspective of the daughter of a woman who was once incarcerated and that of a successful civil rights lawyer. At the airport in Nashville, the first person to greet him was the same judge who sentenced him to prison years ago. Many of them were family. Through herprogram, Buried Alive she fights to free people serving sentences handed down on federal drug laws. Named after the purest love Brittany has ever known, her grandmother Lena, Milena Reign cultivates content and talent from two special groups: (1) those directly impacted by the criminal justice system and (2) those from Brittany's beloved South - helping them lean into their gifts of storytelling to inspire the world. Pamela Bardhi, who was friendly with Ana Walshe in professional settings, said she never saw any indications Washes life was in danger. Learn How much net worth Brittany K. is in this year and how she spend her expenses? Contact the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association at 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, or call 312-988-6738 for questions about the approval of Southern University Law Center. Barnetts new memoir, A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom, explores how that war shaped her life and career. "[20] USA Today included it on its list of 5 books not to miss for the week of September 5, 2020. Bogota. MV: How did the United States as a country get to where were at right now, with 1,300 to 1,500 people serving life in prison for drug crimes? Brittany K. is a phenomenal celebrity influencer. [17], Barnett started XVI Capital Partners, a venture capital fund to help fund entrepreneurial ideas the previous inmates have upon release, with the goal of what she calls "economic liberation" from the draw of selling drugs. And thats the beautiful part of our journey. Award-winning attorney and entrepreneur Brittany K. Barnett discusses her memoir A KNOCK AT MIDNIGHT (9/8/20; Crown). Barnett is also in the process of launching a venture capital fund to ensure formerly incarcerated people have access to capital and resources so they can have what she calls "life after life." Not only are Jones and Jacobs partners in the nonprofit, but Barnett says they're an inspiration to her and leading examples of a greater cultural transformation. BKB: Absolutely. Soon enough, the war on drugs reached that wooden house in Fulbright. Barnett is also the founder of Girls Embracing Mothers, a non-profit organization that provides support for girls with mothers in prison. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. She is dedicated to transforming the criminal justice system and has won freedom for numerous people serving fundamental death sentences for federal drug offenses - including seven clients who received executive clemency from President Barack Obama. Title: Attorney, author and co-founder. Some of the most brilliant people Ive met in my life are my clients. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. We work to empower them to break the cycle of incarceration and lead successful lives.. Just like everybody else in America, sometimes we let our neighborhoods and our circumstances be a prison themselves. At the age of 19 years, Brittany K. Barnett weight not available right now. TM: The East Texas you describe is so idyllic, and its clear you grew up in one of those tight-knit communities where people looked after one another. Thank you, Have you picked up a copy of the November 2022 Iss. Through the organization, Barkent has been able to fight for clemency for prisoners like Alice Johnson and by 2020 the organization had successfully litigated more than 40 people. After submitting her paper, Joness case plagued Barnett, and she wrote to Jones offering her assistance; the women began corresponding through email. U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis ultimately calculated her sentence to be 46 years without parole, effectively a life sentence. The Buried Alive Project works to dismantle life without parole sentences handed down under federal drug laws. These Lawyers Are Trying to Change That", "Pusha T launches criminal reform campaign Third Strike Coming Home", "The Injustice Deep Within the Justice System", "5 books not to miss: Jane Fonda writes about climate change, plus new Chuck Palahniuk", "Obama adds to historic number of federal prisoners granted clemency", "How a first crack cocaine offense led to a life sentence", "Meet Trenton Copeland, Who Sees Obama as Last Shot to Leave Prison", "Obama grants final 330 commutations to nonviolent drug offenders", "Trump has commuted the life sentence of Alice Marie Johnson, a woman whose case was championed by Kim Kardashian", "President Trump Commutes Sentence of Alice Marie Johnson", "How Jared Kushner, Kim Kardashian West and Congress drove the criminal justice overhaul", "New Friends New Life Announces 2020 ProtectHER Award Recipients Natalie Nanasi and Brittany K. Barnett", "Kim Kardashian Joins Prison Reform Attorneys in the Fight to Free Nonviolent Drug Offenders", "In remembering her own mother, activist and attorney makes Mother's Day plea for incarcerated women", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brittany_K._Barnett&oldid=1104086781, 2013 National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Finalist , 2013 Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas Texas Young Lawyers Association, 2013 Outstanding Young Lawyer of Dallas Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, 2020 ProtectHER Award New Friends New Life, This page was last edited on 12 August 2022, at 15:18. Gun safety and children: Are free locks enough? The Dallas Cowboys Used to Sell NFL Dynasties. Every one of them, man. At 22, her mother was sentenced to eight years for failing a series of drug tests while on probation. May 25, 2021. Her background was not all that pleasing as she was a victim of poor parenting. Barnett ultimately ditched a career in corporate law to represent nonviolent drug offenders full-time. Even with all of that, I still love East Texas. More inside. Brownsvilles New Independent Bookstore Is an Oasis in the Desert, The Lone Bookstore in a Town With No Library. Brittany K. Barnett is an award-winning attorney and entrepreneur focused on social impact investing. Remains of child found during search for Athena Brownfield, 4, Hundreds of thousands of kids left alone at border in FY 2022, Rural crisis teams bridge mental health gaps, Smartphones keep homeless veterans housed, healthy, Mother killed in shooting at Florida MLK Day party, TSA confiscates passenger's anti-tank weapon, Father: Gun in Beech Grove incident belongs to cousin, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [4], December 4, 2018, Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Chuck Grassley held a forum on pending criminal justice legislation. 201, Evanston, IL 60201 Contact Us. 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