Issuu

VOICES OF THE INNOCENT:

RESISTANCE

JOY

Program Book THURSDAY, SEP. 17, 2026 CITY WINERY BOSTON 80 BEVERLY ST., BOSTON, MA 02114 6 PM RECEPTION 7 PM START

Dear riends, AT THE NEW ENGLAND INNOCENCE PROJECT, RESISTANCE AND JOY ARE ESSENTIAL IN OUR WORK FIGHTING INJUSTICE AND REUNITING FAMILIES. We resist the idea that any innocent person should be in prison for a crime they did not commit. We resist the false narratives told by government officials, and amplified by the media, about our community members— stories built on unreliable evidence and bias. We resist the many obstacles that stand between our community members and freedom. But resistance is not all we do or experience. There are few things more joyful than someone’s first steps in freedom after decades of wrongful incarceration. Those first steps can lead to the open arms of a child, loved one, or partner who’s waited decades for them to come home. Those steps lead to love, beauty, and the ability to make choices. There is joy in community, and we celebrate each person’s unique and diverse contributions to it.

TO DO THIS WORK IS TO EMBRACE THE FULL RANGE OF EMOTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY IT. It means accepting the irony that the courtroom is both the site of the fiercest resistance and the place we put our hope for a more joyful future.

It means knowing the darkest despair of losing a loved one while confined in a prison cell and the brightest light of hope that comes with meeting a new generation of family members whose youth and innocence are still intact.

IT’S RECOGNIZING THAT THE PRINCIPLES WE CARE SO DEEPLY ABOUT—TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND FREEDOM—ARE NOT PROVIDED BY OUR GOVERNMENT, BUT ARE DEMANDED AND SECURED BY US, TOGETHER. There is resistance in joy and even joy in resistance. That’s the work of the New England Innocence Project. Voices of the Innocent: Resistance and Joy is an opportunity for us all to come together to hear stories of people directly impacted by wrongful convictions and to amplify voices that have been silenced or ignored by stigma and oppression. It celebrates profound moments of beauty and love and helps raise the necessary funds for the fight ahead. Your support allows us to resist injustice and fuels joy across New England. Please join us by adding your voice to the Voices of the Innocent. Standing together, our ability to create change is limitless.

In solidarity and joy,

Radha Natarajan Executive Director, New England Innocence Project

StaFF

Radha Natarajan

Sean Ellis

Sadie Blanco

Laura Carey

Kari Cincotta

Corinne Espinoza

Jacqueline Fonseca

Sean Graham

Intake Coordinator

Community Reentry & Program Specialist, Exoneree Network

Stephanie Hartung

Meg Kerrigan

Cynthia Mousseau

Carolina Nunes

Stephen Pina

Gabriella Priest Celestin

Jordan Salvatoriello

Executive Director

Development Director

Staff Attorney

Shar’Day TaylorRiggins

Social Service Advocate

Director, Exoneree Network

Operations Administrator

Nina Thacker

Staff Attorney Fellow

Development Coordinator

Community Engagement Associate, Exoneree Network

Staff Attorney

Senior Staff Attorney

Director of Operations

Supervising Attorney

Case Coordinator

Senior Director of Communications

Bo ard of Trustees

Dr. Gary Bailey

Erika Barber

Nicole Collymore

Robert Foxworth

Lisa M. Kavanaugh

Daniel Medwed

David E. Meier

Cheryl Schaffer

David M. Siegel Chair

New England Innocence Project THE NEW ENGLAND INNOCENCE PROJECT IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE NONPROFIT THAT FREES INNOCENT PEOPLE FROM PRISON, SUPPORTS FAMILIES IMPACTED BY INCARCERATION, AND FIGHTS TO END THE OPPRESSIVE HARMS OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.

FOR OVER 20 YEARS WE’VE PROVIDED FREE FORENSIC TESTING, INVESTIGATION, EXPERTS, AND AN EXPERIENCED LEGAL TEAM TO EXONERATE THE INNOCENT TO BRING THEM HOME TO THEIR LOVED ONES. Through the Exoneree Network, we empower individuals and families to heal and rebuild after the trauma of long-term incarceration by providing comprehensive support, including a safe and welcoming community. We also use our expertise about the failures of the criminal legal system to educate and advocate for policies that prevent future tragedies, promote freedom, and support community-based solutions for public safety.

EACH DAY, WE RECEIVE LETTERS FROM WRONGFULLY CONVICTED PEOPLE throughout New England who need our help. We currently have:

424 OPEN APPLICATIONS

108 ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS

Since 1989 in the U.S., there have been approx.

3,856

EXONERATIONS STEALING MORE THAN

36,092 YEARS FROM INNOCENT PEOPLE & THEIR FAMILIES. These numbers only represent

THE TIP OF THE

ICEBERG

because there are so many wrongfully convicted people who have yet to be officially exonerated.

Exoneree Net work AN INSTRUMENTAL PART OF THE NEW ENGLAND INNOCENCE PROJECT AND LED BY THOSE DIRECTLY IMPACTED, IMPACTED, the Exoneree Network empowers individuals who have suffered the trauma of long-term incarceration, supporting them and their families to heal and rebuild in freedom.

“We are wounded, but not b roken” — Sean Ellis, Ellis, Director, Exoneree Network, Exoneration #2364 WHILE EVERY RELEASE AND REUNION AFTER YEARS OF WRONGFUL INCARCERATION IS JOYOUS, IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY. Since there is no existing infrastructure to assist an innocent person who spent decades in prison for a crime they did not commit, exonerees returning from long-term incarceration must rebuild from almost nothing.

THE EXONEREE NETWORK PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT, INCLUDING HOUSING, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, MENTAL HEALTH CARE, JOB TRAINING, AND A SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY. We also fight for legislative reforms that uplift community members, restore dignity, and instill hope along the journey to freedom.

2025 EXONEREE NETWORK BY THE NUMBERS

1,344

Number of years of wrongful imprisonment for people receiving services (82% are people of color)

$83K 88 58 29

Amount of direct financial assistance provided to families Number Numb er of freed people and their family members helped Average age of person receiving services Number of EN-hosted programs and events

Thank You to Our Ev ent Host C ommittee DR. AMY BANKS SEAN ELLIS DANIEL MEDWED KATY NEEFUS DAVID SIEGEL DEENA SIEGEL N ELIZABETH TAMTO JASON WEINER

Our Emcee, Jeneé Osterheldt DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR FOR CULTURE, TALENT, & DEVELOPMENT, THE BOSTON GLOBE Jeneé Osterheldt is a culture columnist who covers identity and social justice through the lens of culture and the arts. Her work centers Black lives and the lives of people of color. She is also the creator of A Beautiful Resistance, a multimedia platform and docuseries for The Boston Globe that centers Black voices and celebrates Black Joy. The work is both joy and justice. Sometimes this means taking systemic racism, sexism, and oppression to task. Other times it means arts, joy, and space-making. It always means Black lives matter.

Beyond writing and film, her work comes to life on stage and screen as she moderates conversations with thought leaders and culture makers like Ghetto Gastro, Taraji P. Henson, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. In 2023, she was named Deputy Managing Editor of Talent, Culture, and Development, making her the second Black woman to ever grace the masthead. More recently, the City of Boston honored her work with a day in its honor: As of 2025 going forward, Nov. 21 is A Beautiful Resistance Day in our city. This year, the Boston Celtics honored her as a Hero Among Us. She joined the Globe in 2018. She was the 2023 chair of the Pulitzer jury for criticism, 2023 ONA winner for Commentary, 2022 YW Boston Women Achiever, a 2022 Murrow Award winner, a 2021 News Leader Association winner, and a 2021 Most Influential Bostonian. She opened for ABC/Hulu's "Soul of a Nation" three times. She is a 2024 New England Regional Emmy Award winner. A native of Alexandria, Va. and a proud graduate of Norfolk State University, Osterheldt was a 2017 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, where her studies focused on the intersection of art and justice.

An Ev ening of Imp act OPENING PERFORMANCE Performed by VOICES 21C

WELCOME Jeneé Osterheldt, The Boston Globe

MY STORY Jacqueline Fonseca Dr. Amy Banks Edward Wright

REFLECTIONS Radha Natarajan, Executive Director

EXONERATION AFTER 40 YEARS, HONORING THOMAS ROSA’S JOURNEY Radha Natarajan, Executive Director

SUPPORTING THE JOY & RESISTANCE Shar’Day Taylor-Riggins, Social Service Advocate

TAKING FLIGHT WITH JOY Sean Ellis, Director, Exoneree Network

SONGS OF RESISTANCE Led by VOICES 21C

DESSERT & CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY VOICES OF THE INNOCENT:

RESISTANCE

JOY

Storyteller Bios JACQUELINE FONSECA Jacqueline Fonseca works as a social justice advocate, organizing support for wrongfully incarcerated individuals and their families and educating directly impacted people about the criminal legal system. She is currently the Intake Coordinator, ensuring everyone who reaches out to NEIP feels heard, understood, and treated with dignity.

DR. AMY BANKS Dr. Amy Banks is a psychiatrist, speaker, writer, and educator. She co-wrote her latest book, Fighting Time, with Isaac Knapper, who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Amy’s father, Dr. Ronald Banks, in 1979. After meeting in 2015, the two have worked to raise awareness about the impact that systemic racism and wrongful convictions have on both the wrongfully convicted and the families of murdered victims.

EDWARD WRIGHT Edward Wright was exonerated on August 21, 2025, after spending 41 years in prison for a Springfield murder he did not commit. While incarcerated, he learned the law and used that knowledge to fight his wrongful conviction, assist others with their legal briefs, and improve living conditions inside the prison walls. He has published two novels. He lives with his wife, Mimi Olivier, and their dog, Coco.

Artist Supporters STELLAR STORY COMPANY Stellar Story Company helps people and institutions deliver extraordinary stories and unforgettable events that lead to meaningful change. Combining strategic communications and artistic storytelling expertise, Stellar leads dynamic training and coaching programs for businesses, nonprofits, and community groups. They also create and produce opportunities for diverse voices and stories to be heard, whether in intimate work settings or on national platforms. Cheryl Hamilton, Executive Director, is an award-winning communications specialist who has coached over 1,500 people from more than 80 countries in public speaking. She is the creator of Suitcase Stories® and, for eight years, directed curation and coaching for the national media program Stories from the Stage. Prior to founding Stellar, Cheryl managed programs and external relations for organizations specializing in global migration.

Cheryl Hamilton Executive Director

VOICES 21C In a time when American ideals are often defined by nationalism and aggression, VOICES 21C aligns itself with voices of compassion, love, and non-violence. The Boston-based choral artists collective combines high technical proficiency with social justice activism, using choral art to advocate for human rights through cross-border and prison collaborations. As the primary developer of the Empowering Song Approach, the ensemble incorporates narrative, poetry, songwriting, and physical storytelling into workshops and performances to amplify silenced stories and strengthen communities. VOICES 21C merges choral music with theatre and kinesthetic art to connect musical messages with global and

local issues. Operating under an egalitarian consensus model, the ensemble centers marginalized voices, supports contemporary composers, and offers a welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Thank You to OurSponsors VISIONARY PARTNERS The Kaneb Family

Jason Weiner & Nicole Zatlyn

Jason & Khaliah Flom

CHANGEMAKERS

JUSTICE CHAMPIONS

Anonymous

Daniel Medwed & Sharissa Jones

FREEDOM CONTRIBUTORS ACLU of MA Anonymous Brown Rudnick LLP Cooley LLP Foley & Lardner LLP Gail Roberts, Ed Feijo & Team

Jones Day Kirkland & Ellis McDermott Will & Schulte LLP Miriam Ervin Neil & Monique Austin

Resilience Mode Sidley Austin LLP The Morrison & Foerster Foundation Vertex Pharmaceuticals White & Case LLP Wolf Greenfield

HOPE SUPPORTERS Anonymous Angel Reed & Mitchell Kosht DLA Piper Interdigital, Inc. Josh and Michelle Kraft

JoAnn (Roberto Luongo) DeNapoli Troutman Pepper Locke Charitable Foundation, Inc. Truro Vineyards & Liz Page Associates South Hollow Spirits McCarter & English, LLP The Marinelli Group at Morgan Stanley Mintz Vinod & Gita Khilnani Todd & Weld LLP

DREAM DEFENDERS Adams & Co. Real Estate Team | Eastern Bank | Indigo Associates | J. W. Carney, Jr. & Reyna Ramirez

MAKE A GIFT

Join the Fight Against Wrongf ul C onv ictions Fighting even one wrongful conviction requires thousands of hours and thousands of dollars, but we think every second and every penny is worth it.

FREEDOM IS WORTH IT

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE

Any gift you make tonight goes toward our efforts to free people from prison and reunite them with their families. They have missed a million special moments; let’s prevent them from missing any more. By working together, we are amplifying the voices of hundreds of wrongfully convicted individuals and giving them the support they need.

To make a gift from a donor-advised fund, stock, or other securities, please email Corinne Espinoza at corinne@newenglandinnocence.org. Learn about all other ways to give by visiting our Other Ways to Give page.

Other Ways to Get Involv ed JOIN OUR E-NEWSLETTER Receive NEIP and EN news and updates, hear exoneree stories, and learn more about how you can join the fight against wrongful convictions – right in your inbox! SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

HOST A HOUSE PARTY One of the most powerful ways to support NEIP is to introduce us to your community. Host a Raise a Glass to Freedom house party and turn your living room into a space for connection, conversation, and change. Invite friends, share stories from the fight for freedom, and inspire gifts that help free the wrongfully convicted and rebuild lives. To learn more, e-mail Development Director, Corinne Espinoza, at corinne@newenglandinnocence.org.

BECOME A SUSTAINER OF FREEDOM Sustainers of Freedom are monthly donors who invest in the fight for freedom and join this unique community of changemakers standing together against injustice. A gift of $10, $25, or $50, given monthly, helps us sustain our work and create lasting impact — one case, one family, and one future at a time.

BECOME A SUSTAINER OF FREEDOM

Join Us at Upcoming Ev ents! JAMMIN’ FOR JUSTICE Join us for a concert benefiting the Exoneree Network, featuring musical guests Peace Players and The OG’s. All music performed by people directly impacted and/or fighting against wrongful convictions. Opening remarks by Sean Ellis, Director of Exoneree Network and featured in Netflix’s docuseries Trial 4. WHEN: Thu, October 29, 2026 from 6 - 9 p.m. WHERE: The Burren at 247 Elm St, Somerville LEARN MORE & PURCHASE TICKETS

RUNNING FOR INNOCENCE: RUN, WALK, OR CHEER! Join the Running for Innocence team for our 12th year at the Genesis HR Battlegreen 5K/10K to raise money for NEIP’s Running for Innocence (RFI) Fund. The RFI Fund helps Massachusetts innocence organizations pay for the experts and investigators needed to free innocent people imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit. Whether you’re a seasoned runner, a casual walker, or just someone who cares about justice, there’s a place for you on our team. WHEN: Sun, November 1, 2026 at 11 a.m. WHERE: Lexington High School at 251 Waltham St, Lexington, MA 02421 LEARN MORE & REGISTER TODAY

It Takes a C ommunity Voices of the Innocent: Resistance & Joy was made possible by so many in our community. We are grateful to all the Staff and Trustees of the New England Innocence Project, without whom we would not be able to carry out our important mission. There are many people with whom we partner, and we could not possibly list all of them here. We deeply appreciate everyone who contributes to the freedom and support of those wrongfully convicted, including pro bono partners, cocounsel, amici, investigators, social workers, experts, volunteers, journalists, and donors. In closing, we want to thank the families and loved ones of those wrongfully convicted who are still waiting for freedom.

Thank you for trusting us to be in this fight with you.

Thank You to Our Ad Sponsors

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE NEW ENGLAND INNOCENCE PROJECT Please Click the Video to Watch Our Message goodwinlaw.com

BOSTON CELTICS’ BRAD STEVENS PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE NEW ENGLANDTBD INNOCENCE PROJECT Please Click the Video to Watch Our Message

Thank You to Our Ad Sponsors

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Thank You toAll Attendees & Sponsors! Your attendance and generous contributions directly support the New England Innocence Project’s mission and make events like this possible. Thank you!

Thank You to Our ProductionTeam

donna chan design

C ontact Us EMAIL Development Team corinne@newenglandinnocence.org sadie@newenglandinnocence.org

PHONE 617-249-4605

MAILING ADDRESS New England Innocence Project 1035 Cambridge St., Suite 28A Cambridge, MA 02141

WEBSITE www.newenglandinnocence.org