Just as our mighty organization is turning 25, our extraordinary leader, Ryan Haygood, is turning 50! 

Ryan gives his all to our racial justice work every day. With his bold and strategic vision, the Institute has become a model for states as places to build power from the ground up. 

Under Ryan’s leadership, the Institute has achieved victories like: 

• Restoring the vote to 83,000 people on probation and parole 

• Convening the first-of-its-kind New Jersey Reparations Council 

• Lowering the voting age to 16 for Newark School Board elections 

• Commitment to close two youth prisons and reallocation of $8M to restorative justice hubs in four major NJ cities 

And so much more!

The Institute has been told we have that “secret sauce” – the ability to work with elected officials while remaining fiercely independent. 

It’s Ryan who mixed that special recipe. And because we speak truth to power, he stirs the pot every day! 

With a donation to our work, you, too, can celebrate the Institute in Ryan’s honor, and be a part of our transformative racial justice work in New Jersey and beyond. 

Happy Birthday, Ryan!