America’s criminal justice system is broken. And The Marshall Project—whose mission it is “to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system”—is the nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization telling so many of these necessary stories. From a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting to a 2018 Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence, this bold organization (named after civil rights activist / NAACP attorney / first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall) is creating the kind of journalism that begins to repair our broken criminal justice system, which in turn repairs decades of unjust drug policy and so much more.

The money bond system was built with the intent to punish poor people—those with financial means can pay their way out of jail following an arrest, but poor people don’t have that luxury. The effects of being held in jail pretrial are far reaching, negatively impacting jobs, families, housing, mental and physical health. Colorado Freedom Fund (CFF) offers financial assistance to help gain pretrial freedom for Coloradans who can’t afford to pay cash bonds. CFF also helps individuals navigate legal proceedings and advocates for legislation, litigation and direct action to end wealth-based detention and advance collective liberation. Poverty is not a crime, and people should not be jailed simply because they can’t afford to buy their freedom.

Young adults who age out of foster care without being adopted or reunited with their families face an enormous uphill battle in early adulthood. Each year, 20,000 teens exit the foster care system and immediately face the harsh realities of the world without the funds or foundational life skills to navigate it. Statistically speaking, individuals who age out of foster care have astronomically higher rates of early pregnancy, substance-use disorder, homelessness, domestic and partner violence, and imprisonment. The LifeSet Network takes an evidence-informed approach in providing much-needed support and mentorship. The intensive program addresses education, housing, employment, mental and physical health care, along with developing life skills to navigate adulthood, from transportation and money management to accessing community resources. While there are infinite worthy causes out there, I always come back to these kids. The odds have been stacked against them from the get-go, and while the playing field will never be level, the LifeSet Network makes every effort to help them build stable, joyful adult lives.

I love the Colorado outdoors—especially the streams and rivers. For anyone who enjoys our rivers, streams and lakes, the nonprofit organization Colorado Trout Unlimited advocates for these treasured places. I support Colorado Trout Unlimited because fly fishing and rivers in general are my happy place. In 2018, I was looking for some healing options, and I quickly realized standing in a river fly fishing is my form of therapy. Protecting Colorado rivers became a priority for me ever since. Through Colorado Trout Unlimited’s conservation efforts, I can support their mission for clean water policies, and protect the rivers that make fly fishing possible for myself and future generations.

Straight from the cradle, I have been a cat lady. I love that they are great companions while remaining independent and curious. To me, they are just about the most amazing creatures on the planet. In my hometown of Los Angeles, our animal shelters are overflowing and kittens are typically the most likely to be euthanized in a shelter. Kitty Bungalow does a great job at trap-neuter-return (TNR) and adoptions. Their volunteer-led team is changing the streets of LA one furbaby at a time. It is my hope that we can save all of the cool cats and kittens and find them forever homes.

The crisis of homelessness is on the rise and everyone deserves a warm and safe place to sleep at night. But when it comes to homelessness, working toward prevention is just as important as offering shelter. By providing access to housing, trauma-informed healthcare, and vocational and supportive services, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless takes a holistic approach with comprehensive support for those who need it most. The individuals that are suffering from homelessness deserve advocates who understand their needs and work to provide them a place to sleep while also addressing their trauma and mental health.

I chose the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Colorado chapter in honor of my mom, Lynn Teague, who passed away in January 2017. Battling cancer four times in her 57 years, my mom helped raise over $100,000 for the organization’s Team In Training program while participating in 100-mile century bike rides and in-line skate races—all while maintaining a smile and a heart of gold. This #GrasslandsGives donation is to honor those fighting these terrible diseases and my mom, who dreamed of moving to Colorado for its natural beauty and access to medical cannabis.

Music is a collective language everyone can understand and enjoy. With so many veterans in my life, who have provided me with awesome community and music experiences, I chose Vet Tix as a way to keep that positivity going. This organization’s mission is to “provide tickets to events, which reduce stress, strengthen family bonds, build lifelong memories and encourage service members and veterans to stay engaged with local communities and American life.”

The carceral state is deeply dehumanizing in so many ways, which is why it's so transformative to provide opportunities for education and free expression to justice-involved individuals. For almost 50 years, the PEN America Prison Writing Program has amplified the voices of incarcerated people through mentorship programs, writing contests and educational handbooks that teach important skills for communication and self-expression. These skills not only reduce recidivism, they also help heal the trauma that can contribute to entanglement in the justice system and that stems from the loss of autonomy and stigma associated with incarceration. Furthermore, PEN creates opportunities for inmates to participate in necessary conversations about mass incarceration and the criminal justice system from which they might otherwise be shut out.

So Others Might Eat (SOME) began in 1970 with the basic mission of providing a warm meal to those in need in one neighborhood in Washington, D.C. It has subsequently grown to serve the entire district with the goal of ending the cycle of poverty embedded in communities across the city. Healthcare, legal assistance, job training, mental health support, substance abuse therapy and access to new and used clothing now complement SOME’s food and grocery distribution scope. My parents donated to SOME when I was a child, and their engagement was my introduction to the idea of charitable giving and how it can create real positive change. When funding for social services was slashed in the 1980s under the guise of trickle-down economics and disparaging “Welfare Queen” rhetoric, I saw firsthand the devastation that it had on communities in the city. The irony that Washington, D.C., houses our federal government yet district residents receive scant representation and remain “less than” in the eyes of some legislators makes the work of So Others Might Eat incredibly important.

The longtime nonprofit Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provides independent, impartial medical humanitarian assistance to those who need it most. In more than 70 countries, MSF members care for people affected by conflict, natural- and human-made disasters, disease outbreaks and exclusion from health care. The work done by MSF is important to me because it is crucial to remember that there are people out there who need professional help for a number of reasons, and do not have access to that help.

Stop Ecocide International is a charity founded by two badass females in an effort to make ecocide (literal meaning: killing one’s home) an international crime. Currently, nobody is held responsible for the continued damage humans are doing to the environment. Stop Ecocide partners with lawyers, policymakers and activists across all of civil society in an effort to make ecocide a criminal offense. This would hold those who are making decisions or actions that lead to severe environmental harm, liable for criminal prosecution. The end goal is to legally protect our environment and home from the acts and decisions that are killing it.

Every day, approximately 130 Americans tragically lose their lives to opioid overdoses. Addiction is a relentless foe that doesn't discriminate—it affects individuals from all walks of life. Chris Herren's recovery story resonated deeply with me when I heard him speak in 2016, and it's why I've chosen to support Herren Project. This organization is a beacon of hope for those grappling with addiction as the group works to save lives, provide treatment and foster a community of support and recovery. My decision to support Herren Project is a personal one, born out of a desire to make a meaningful impact in the battle against addiction. I believe in their mission, and I'm dedicated to being part of a solution that brings healing and recovery to those who need it most. 

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The Cristina Project is a nonprofit organization created in honor of a beautiful woman, Maria Cristina “Cris” Garza. Cris dedicated her life to doing good and was constantly working on “projects” until her 2012 death from ovarian cancer. Her service projects ranged from hosting career days for at-risk youth to opening her home to help others with accommodations and emotional support as they were seeking cancer treatment. She was passionate about teaching youth the importance of giving back to the community, and her legacy lives on through her children who started this organization to continue spreading her efforts and message. I was lucky to know and love Cris, and this organization means a lot to me personally because of my relationship with the Garza family as well as my mom being deeply involved, sitting on the board for the organization. It’s critical to teach future generations the importance of giving back to those in need to create communities that do their best not just for themselves, but for those around them.

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I chose to support Best Friends Animal Society through my #GrasslandsGives donation because I believe every animal deserves a safe and loving home. Their mission to end pet homelessness and build a future of compassion is close to my heart as an animal lover and caretaker. As someone who finds joy and connection in community-driven initiatives, I’m proud to contribute to an organization making a real difference for animals in need.