Thursday, August 1, 2024

The Civil Survival board wants to respond to a KUOW news story reporting on the departure of Tarra Simmons from Civil Survival. Our employment relationship with Tarra Simmons ended on July 15.  

As a board, our dedication to Civil Survival’s mission stems from our own direct and lived experiences within the criminal legal system. Most members of our board are formerly incarcerated. At a personal level, we understand and have seen the positive impact of Civil Survival’s work on behalf of the lives in our communities.  

As an organization, we take seriously: adherence to our employment policies, code of conduct, and mission to organize system-impacted individuals, provide legal representation, and advocate for policy reform aimed at restoring opportunities to communities impacted by the criminal legal system.  

Tarra’s departure is a result of repeated violations of our organizational policies and conduct standards. For example, Tarra has engaged in unprofessional and inappropriate interactions with staff, including verbally berating an employee, which violates our policy against harassment and retaliation. Additionally, Tarra has threatened Civil Survival’s funding and the continued employment of Civil Survival staff members.  

We want to impress upon our community that we did not arrive at this decision lightly. Prior to Tarra’s termination, the board commissioned two third-party investigations to ensure a thorough evaluation of the facts. We reject any allegation of discrimination by Tarra. The board has been fair in its interactions with Tarra, particularly in light of her actions over the past year.    

Civil Survival’s work is deeply personal to the board, and we understand the critical impact of Civil Survival on the lives of our community members. The organization is strong because its mission is driven by the many system-impacted people on staff as well as the board. Despite the challenges we are facing, we want to express our confidence in the Civil Survival team, and we renew the organization’s promise to be mission-driven in our service to the reentry community.

In partnership,

Civil Survival Board of Directors