Statement on Issue 1
We stand tall this morning in the truth that we gave everything we had to stop the extremist oppression churning across our state.
The outcome isn’t what we’d hoped for. We know that many of our poor neighbors, families, and friends will face disproportionate justice and be penalized simply for having less than the wealthy who ushered State Issue 1 into our Constitution.
But we showed up. We did the work.
We grew — in the depth of relationships we hold in our communities, in the strength of our partnerships with other leaders in our state, and in the power we hold as Ohio families, United together.
Until every single family in Ohio, without exception, is treated with dignity, equity, and humanity under the law — we fight on.
The wins will not come easy, and our communities know better than most the losses we carry are heavy. But we do this work, and fight these fights, and carry the weight of our grief while pressing onward because it is right.
It is right to hold the line even when defeat is nearly certain.
It is right to speak out and stand up to injustice even when the odds are stacked.
And we are so deeply proud and awed by all of our impacted leaders, who lifted this work out of sheer determination to always do better for the next generation of future Ohioans.
We are grateful to our communities for always putting Ohio families first.
We are grateful to our families for carrying this work while building the movement.
We are grateful to the ACLU of Ohio for standing with us as a leader in true transformative justice. We see you, our families see you, and our communities are better for you. We are honored to be by your side in the fight for true bail reform and to build an Ohio that is fair for all of us.
We are grateful to The Bail Project and the Ohio Justice and Policy Center for serving in partnership with us and the ACLU of Ohio on the statewide steering committee opposing issue 1.
We are so proud of the over forty organizations, many nonpartisan, who joined the coalition against state issue 1. We love you for your work, your strength, your partnership, and your perseverance.
As the sun rose this morning, we took a hard look at this campaign and the people who joined, volunteered, carried the load, and cared for our communities. We’re so proud of what we’ve built together. And while we are saddened by the votes, we feel one thing most of all.
Hope.