By Chelsea Dimas | Photos by Ulysses Curry
On one of the coldest, rainiest days in February, more than a hundred people from across Washington made their way to Olympia to share their stories and advocate for change.
They came as individuals, as advocates, as community leaders, and as youth. All carrying different stories, different paths, different pain, and purpose. Yet they were all connected by a shared thread: lived experience with the criminal legal system and a deep commitment to changing it.
Our attorney Destiny Moreno greets a participant.
From the moment we stepped into the United Churches of Olympia campus, the energy was palpable. The cold stayed outside, while warmth enveloped us inside. Familiar faces, new connections, and a strong sense of belonging all together in one place. People weren’t just attending an event–they were stepping into their community. They were home.
Activist C.A.U.T.I.ON energizes participants.
The day opened up with powerful remarks from C.A.U.T.I.ON, a powerful local activist and spoken word artist, whose energy set the tone for what was to come: a day rooted in truth, urgency, and collective power.
That energy quickly turned into action.
Participants look over their Advocacy Day materials.
Senior Community Organizer Anthony Blankenship explained the realities of the current legislative landscape–what policies are advancing, what’s at stake, and where community voices were needed the most. He helped connect the dots between lived experience and legislative power, reminding everyone in the room that their stories are not just valid, but essential.
Anthony’s voice carried with urgency and purpose:
“Every year, legislative inaction costs lives in prison, traps thousands in debt, pushes more children into the school-to-prison pipeline, and upholds the racist disenfranchisement of our communities, especially those in jails. They may try to silence our votes, but our collective voices will be heard today.”
Senior Organizer Anthony Blankenship gives a rundown on priorities.
From there, people broke into groups based on their legislative district, learning strategies, sharing their stories, and preparing to walk into rooms where decisions are made.
And then, they did exactly that.
Through the nonstop rain, participants moved between meetings with legislators, carrying the weight of their lived experience like raincoats as they navigated complex conversations. They spoke with courage and the kind of authority that only comes from having lived what policy often overlooks.
Participants walk down the Capitol steps after their legislative meetings.
Throughout the day, the space remained alive with learning, healing, and connection. For the first time at advocacy day, community members were able to meet one-on-one with attorneys on-site, receiving legal support and immediate pathways forward.
For our attorney, Cody Nagle, her first time at Advocacy Day was so impactful. She shared, “As someone with lived experience in the justice system, this access to our legislative process felt especially meaningful. I loved watching our community advocate for themselves in face-to-face meetings with legislators—and walking away with a sense of pride, knowing our voices were actually heard by decision makers. That matters deeply for people whose voices are so often silenced.”
Our attorney Cody Nagle assists a participant.
Our friends at Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) led a critical Know Your Rights training, ensuring immigrant communities and allies had tools to stay informed and protected.
WAISN gives a critical Know Your Rights presentation.
Workshops and a short film screening deepened the conversation, exploring everything from reparations to the intersection of environmental harm and policing, reminding us that these systems are not isolated, but interconnected.
One of the most powerful moments of the day came from those who turned their lived experience into leadership
Evaristo “Junior” Salas, and Sandra Zesati, both formerly incarcerated individuals and now elected school board directors in Sunnyside, shared what it took to get from survival to service. Their stories were reflections of resilience, proof of what’s possible when systems-impacted leaders are given space to lead. They spoke about perseverance, purpose, and how their lived experience has become a bridge to reaching and uplifting at-risk youth.
“Being wrongfully convicted for 27 years showed me both the worst of injustice and the best of human strength. It taught me that hope and determination are powerful. But they must be put into action. My experience pushed me to lead, to challenge broken systems, and to create opportunities for our youth to reach their full potential,” shared Evaristo.
Sunnyside School Board Director Evaristo “Junior” Salas shares his story.
The day also made space for the voices often left out of policy conversations: young people.
During a youth panel, participants heard directly from those navigating the impacts of incarceration and deportation within their own families, driving home the reality that the consequences of these systems ripple far beyond one person.
And throughout it all, the impact of the day was undeniable.
Nick Allen, Policy Director of Inatai Foundation, reflected, “Civil Survival’s 2026 Lobby Day was incredibly timely as federal policy and budget debates are driving hard decisions about resources and action. Civil Survival brought directly impacted people, youth leaders, and coalition partners from across Washington to Olympia for candid conversations with each other and legislators. This kind of representation by and for community matters, and it made the advocacy day more grounded, credible, and powerful. I’m grateful to the entire Civil Survival team, and to Co‑Executive Directors Corey Guilmette and Devon Adams, for organizing a day that ensured impacted voices were heard clearly and directly by decision‑makers.”
As the day came to a close, the energy shifted once more–from action to reflection.
Our community gathered for a vigil honoring loved ones impacted by incarceration and those currently held in detention centers. In that moment, the urgency of the day met the weight of remembrance. Our Co-Director Devon Adams offered words that grounded the space in both hope and grief, reminding us why we do this work and who we carry with us when we do it.
One thing remained clear: this was never about a single day.
It was about building power.
It was about reclaiming our voices.
It was about ensuring that those closest to the harm are leading the path forward.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who showed up: fully, courageously, and in community.
Thank you.
Participants pose for a photo on the Capitol steps.