Michelle West is finally free after serving 31 years of an unjust double life sentence plus 50 years for a nonviolent drug conspiracy charge. Her clemency is a hard-won victory, led by The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, and a testament to the power of relentless advocacy and collective action.
For years, activists and advocates have fought to bring attention to the extreme sentencing and disproportionate punishment faced by women, particularly Black and Brown women, under the U.S. criminal legal system. Michelle West’s case is just one example of the broader crisis of mass incarceration. While the overall prison population has declined in recent years, the number of incarcerated women has skyrocketed, fueled by harsh sentencing laws, the war on drugs, and policies that criminalize poverty.
The People’s March played a crucial role in elevating Michelle’s case, proving once again that when we come together and demand justice, change is possible. But the fight isn’t over. Right now, 40 states are building new women’s prisons, and with attacks on reproductive rights and private prison expansion, the pipeline to incarceration continues to grow.
The National Council is launching the FreeHer Institute to fight back and push for systemic alternatives to incarceration. We must continue advocating for policy changes, supporting organizations that work to free incarcerated women, and investing in solutions that uplift communities rather than criminalize them.
Michelle West’s release is a moment to celebrate, but it is also a call to action to ensure that no one has to endure the injustice she faced.