Katrina, a 47-year-old Black woman participating in a December 2019 focus group of Black middle-class women in Wichita, summed up her feelings about the violence and inequality that Black people face in the U.S.

Despite the wide-ranging devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly within communities of color, we feel a sense of optimism that we have not felt in over a year.

The most dangerous place to be during a pandemic is inside a prison. Today, even a minor arrest could cost more than your liberty; it could cost you your life.