Swift

I don’t remember at what point I realized that, in order to make a real difference interrupting the past and current mindset that encompasses the judicial and penal system issues in America and especially Alabama, I was going to have to build a team of like minded activists. When I use the word “activist,” I mean active and radical changemakers. In creating that team, I knew there was no way I could avoid bringing in the very people I had learned to despise the most: lawyers. So I went on the search for attorneys that believed in what they swore to do – not individuals that want nothing more than to contribute to the ongoing continuation of injustices. I went on a search for attorneys that were willing to put aside the conventional and traditional representation of clients – RADICAL representation, RADICAL attorneys ONLY! For years I was very unsuccessful in locating one. Then accidentally, I ran across Lauren Faraino. I’ll never forget the first (and may I add very blunt) conditions I gave to her in joining this team. I said, “This is a dictatorship, not a democracy. You will either be extreme and radical and fight like your life depends on it, or you can go now. Those on the inside want to fight this with our ideas, our strategies, not continue to do the same thing over and over expecting different results.“ Two years and many fights later, she and I are a hell of a team. She has now created waves that have the potential of creating the storm of all storms.