Emile (he/him/his) DeWeaver

Personal Details

Bio

Emile is a queer, African-America activist whose life sentence in prison was commuted by California’s Governor Brown after 21 years for his accomplishments while in prison. While in prison, he was a culture writer for Easy Street Magazine; he co-founded Prison Renaissance, and despite the criminalization of organizing in California prisons, he covertly organized in prison to pass legislation that changed the way California treats juveniles in its criminal legal system. Emile is a widely published journalist, essayist, and literary writer. His credits include pieces in San Francisco Chronicle, TruthOut, Colorlines, and the Brennan Center. Emile is available for talks, panels, and workshops on the following topics:

• Power in the criminal legal system

• Media in the Criminal Legal System

• Three Principle of Creating Miracles

Current position (1)

Executive Director

Prison Renaissance

Degrees (1)

Criminal Justice

Lived Experience

1997 to 2018

Presentations

Presentations (3)

Power in the Criminal Legal System

This course engages the complicated task of engaging and transforming a criminal legal system that’s doing what it was designed to do: oppress marginalized communities. It deals not only how to create justice in our legal system but how to develop organizational values and practices that make lasting change possible.

Media in the Criminal Legal System

This course will help content creators and media organizations interested in changing culture develop best practices around language use, equitable practices for both reporters and editors, and developing sources among traditionally inaccessible populations (e.g., incarcerated people). This course also covers common mistakes content creators make when covering marginalized populations.

Three Principles of Creating Miracles

By the time I was 18 years old, I was serving a life sentence for murder. I decided to write my way out of prison, and 21 years later, I achieved a miracle. My success came from three principles: Radical Orientation, Collectivity, and Building in the Future. This workshop introduces companies and organizations to these principles, and add-on services include help operationalizing Three Principles of Creating Miracles. Whether you want to change your office culture, transform your industry, or revitalize your company vision, these principles will revolutionize the ways you succeed.

Past talks (5)

Opening Conversation & Emergent Strategy Conversation

Metropolis

San Francisco, CA

April 13, 2018

Barring Freedom: Prison Renaissance

Visualizing Abolition

Online

October 20, 2020

Race as a Proxy for Risk: How discretionary parole undermines BIPOC communities

California Change Lawyers

Online