Why It Matters: Restoring Voting Rights in Nevada
Conversations are happening across the nation about the voting rights of formerly incarcerated people. What is being discussed in Nevada? Join Nevada Humanities for a conversation about the history of dis-enfranchisement policies and the people working to overturn these laws in this state. Hear stories of families fighting to uplift and advance people and communities directly impacted by these policies. This event is moderated by Dr. Todd Felts, Teaching Associate Professor of Public Relations & Advertising at the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. This event was live streamed on Thursday, April 15, 2021, at 4 pm PDT.
Jagada Chambers attended Delta College and Butte Community College (Oroville, CA) where he played baseball before transferring to MacMurray College (Jacksonville, IL) to continue as a student-athlete. During spring Break vacation his senior year, Chambers was charged and later convicted of a violent felony which led to a 64.8 month sentence to the care and custody of the Florida Department of Corrections. He was a professional sports journalist, but walked away from that profession to travel as a motivational speaker warning college students of the dangers of spring break and visiting the prison systems promoting a positive release into society. Chambers is currently a fellow with the Mass Liberation Project and the Rights Restoration Coordinator at Silver State Voices. He lives in Las Vegas, and is a loving father of son Jyriaun and husband to wife Dawn. Chambers authored the novel, Based on a True Story, which is the first of a three-part series, an honest reflection of a life-changing situation for all involved.
Chris Giunchigliani served in the Nevada Assembly from 1990 to 2006, and as a Clark County Commissioner from 2006 to 2019 until she was termed out of office. Giunchigliani was president of her local and state teacher’s union in Nevada. She also served for three years as a court appointed special advocate for a youth in foster care. As a legislator, Giunchigliani championed restoration of ex-felon rights, insurance coverage of oral contraceptives, public education reforms and funding, solar legislation, defelonizing marijuana, compassionate release from prisons, eliminating the death penalty for 18 year olds, among many other laws. Since retiring, Giunchigliani stays involved by serving on the Nevada Indigent Commission, and the boards of After School all Stars, Great Basin Water Network, Clark County Social Justice coalition, the Coalition to End the Death Penalty, Southern Nevada Immigration Coalition, KIDZ Uplifting Kidz, and several other non-profits.
Greta de Jong is a Foundation Professor of History at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her research focuses on the connections between race and class and the ways that African Americans have fought for economic justice, as well as political rights from the end of Reconstruction through the 21st century. Her most recent book is You Can’t Eat Freedom: Southerners and Social Justice after the Civil Rights Movement (University of North Carolina Press, 2016).
Leslie Ann Turner is the Justice Director heading the Mass Liberation Project and the Vegas Freedom Fund out of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada. She is a 2019 cohort member of Law 4 Black Lives fellowship. Leslie is also a University of Nevada, Las Vegas, alumni and mother of a fabulous five year old, Nasir. Turner has received the Advocate of the year award from ACLU of Nevada in 2019 and the Rising Progressive Star award from Battle Born Progress in 2020, as well as been recognized for her work by the city of Las Vegas and the state of Nevada. Leslie Turner does her work through the lens of Black Liberation Abolitionist Organizing, with an emphasis on the abolition of prisons and police.
This program is produced by Nevada Humanities and funded by the “Why It Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation” initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
