Hope and Justice

DALL-E on digital canvas

"Computerized thinking already dominates our justice system, from the pretrial stage to parole where key decisions are often informed by, or outright delegated to, machines. I felt moved to explore the tension between the hope that AI will make our lives easier and better, and the ever-growing concern that its influence will only exacerbate existing disparities in the already deeply flawed institutions that govern our lives — including the justice system.”
— Harley Blakeman

Every year, RBIJ’s holiday card features art from a justice-impacted individual informed by their experience with the justice system. This year’s work honors that tradition, and also marks the first time AI-generated artwork has been featured.

"Hope and Justice” comes from Harley Blakeman, a tech entrepreneur whose own experience of incarceration guides both his art and his professional ventures. As Founder & CEO of Workforce & Justice Alliance member Honest Jobs, a longtime friend of RBIJ, Blakeman harnesses the power of technology — including, increasingly, artificial intelligence — to remove barriers to employment for people impacted by the justice system. In addition to running the nation’s largest fair-chance employment platform, Blakeman advocates for policy reform across the country to expand opportunity and create meaningful second chances.