Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced his intention to commute all death sentences in California, affecting more than 500 people on the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere. Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition joins our partners in the California Anti-Death Penalty Coalition in welcoming this historic step.
The following statements come from previously incarcerated leaders at Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, who know firsthand what this moment means for incarcerated people.
“This will have a huge ripple effect,” said Yannick Ortega, Advocacy and Organizing Manager at Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, when asked how the announcement will impact people at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF). “It will send a flood of hope and motivation across the entire population of residents. It is like a power switch that goes on: motivating people to do more self-help groups, to get a college education inside, to do all the things they have to do to better themselves. Because our incarcerated siblings know there are people out there who care about them, who see them as human beings, who see their dignity.”
“I believe this is what it means to recognize the humanity and inherent dignity of every person,” said Niki Martinez, Deputy Director of Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. “Governor Newsom’s decision to commute the sentences of people on death row is an important step toward a more humane and equitable justice system, one rooted in accountability, fairness, and the belief that everyone deserves dignity and compassionate treatment, not vengeance. Grounded in the values of our Freedom Charter, we believe justice must honor the humanity of all people, regardless of their circumstances or past. While much work remains, this decision moves us closer to a future where justice is measured not by the suffering we inflict, but by how we uphold human life, dignity, and the possibility of transformation.”
“Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition is grateful for Governor Newsom’s decisive leadership in dismantling California’s death row,” said April Grayson, Political Director for Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. “From placing an execution moratorium at the start of his term in 2019 to commuting death sentences to life without parole today, his actions reflect a steadfast belief that real public safety isn’t built on punishment that discards human dignity. It’s built on justice, accountability, and systemic reform. My hope is that this momentum continues under Governor-elect Xavier Becerra and that California’s state leadership keeps seeing the inherent humanity in all people, addressing root causes to advance the essential changes needed for true, lasting public safety across every community.”