Amistad Law Project (ALP)

Amistad Law Project (ALP) is a public interest law firm that organizes against mass incarceration, represents incarcerated individuals, and supports defunding the police. ALP was founded in 2014 by Black feminist lawyers seeking to abolish life-without-parole sentences. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Criminal Justice Policy
Website: amistadlaw.org
Formation:

2019

Executive Director:

Kris Henderson

Location: Philadelphia, PA View on map
Tax ID: 47-2112376
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $693,365 Revenue: $1,034,547 Expenses: $1,012,594

Contents

    Amistad Law Project is the sister organization of Amistad Movement Power. 2

    Activities

    Amistad Law Project claims that social inequality is the root cause of violence, and that incarceration is not the solution. To this end, ALP campaigns to support mental health crisis response instead of police intervention, advocates for legislation that reduces sentences for people serving life without parole, and produces films and podcasts that share stories of incarcerated people. 1

    Amistad Law Project advocates directly with district attorneys for elder parole, to garner support from the Pennsylvania DAs Association (PDAA). ALP puts pressure on local district attorneys to hold them more publicly accountable. To this end, Amistad Law Project mobilizes people, works with faith leaders, and speaks to the press when a DA does not support its position. 3

    Amistad Law Project advocates for the release of inmates through the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. ALP assists inmates with the commutation application process, provides guidance for individuals supporting the early release of those inmates, and seeks to influence the Prosecutors’ offices. 4

    Funding

    Amistad Law Project is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While ALP does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Vera Institute of Justice ($160,000 in 2021), 5 Independence Public Media Of Philadelphia ($85,600 in 2020), 6 and Pennsylvania Voice ($60,000 in 2021). 7

    Staff

    Kris Henderson is co-founder and executive director of Amistad Law Project and a co-founding member of the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration. Henderson sits on the steering committee of Free The Ballot! Incarcerated Voter Family Network and on the board of Black Youth Project 100. 8

    Nikki Grant is co-founder and policy director of ALP. Grant is a founding member of the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration and sits on the board of the Abortion Liberation Fund of Pennsylvania. 8

    Sean Damon is the organizing director of ALP and a co-founding member of the Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration and Free The Ballot! Incarcerated Voter Family Network. 8

    Board of Directors

    Stephanie Keene is a former national vice president of programs at the Momentum Advisory Collective. Keene is a member of the Greater Freedom Think Tank and a co-organizer of the Abolitionist Study Group. 9

    Candace McKinley is the lead organizer at the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund and a member of Up Against the Law Legal Collective. McKinley is a former member of Black Lives Matter Philadelphia and Philly REAL Justice. 10

    Martha Williams is the coordinator at Fight For Lifers. Williams is a member of Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration, No 215 Jail Coalition, and the North Philly Participatory Defense Hub. 10

    Christi Clark is the founder and director of the Organizing Center in Philadelphia. 11

    Pardiss Kebriaei is a senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights. Kebriaei formerly worked in the international program at the Center for Reproductive Rights. 10

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $693,365 $1,034,547 $1,012,594 View
    2023 $713,841 $996,904 $1,062,726 View
    2022 $740,061 $889,859 $879,695 View
    2021 $658,945 $681,022 $564,225 View
    2020 $470,985 $647,246 $305,348 View

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 9

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Kris HendersonEXECUTIVE DI$67,679

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $2,377,699
    • Number of Grants: 83
    • Number of Funders: 40

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $160,0002022 VERA INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE INCGENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
    $100,0002024 Independence Public Media of Philadelphia IncTO CREATE TWO MINI-DOCUMENTARIES HIGHLIGHTING MOBILE CRISIS UNITS AND THE COMMUTATION PROCESS
    $100,0002022 Independence Public Media of Philadelphia IncTO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND MASS INCARCERATION.
    $100,0002021 Independence Public Media of Philadelphia IncTO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND MASS INCARCERATION IN ORDER TO SHOW THAT WEALTH INEQUALITY AND RACISM ARE AT THE ROOT OF BOTH.
    $90,7342024 Movement Alliance ProjectTO SUPPORT ADMINISTRATOR SALARY
    $85,6002020 Independence Public Media of Philadelphia IncTO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY MASS INCARCERATION AND POLICING
    $85,0002024 Common Counsel FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $75,0002023 Independence Public Media of Philadelphia IncTO DISTRIBUTE NO WAY OUT
    $67,5002022 Movement Alliance ProjectPARTICIPATE IN THE SHIFT THE NARRATIVE PROJECT
    $60,0002021 Pennsylvania VoicePUBLIC EDUCATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
    $53,0002023 The Center for Popular DemocracyCAMPAIGN – HOUSING,WORKERS JUSTICE
    $50,0002023 Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncUNRESTRICTED GENERAL SUPPORT
    $50,0002023 The Sprocket FoundationUNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
    $50,0002022 The Sprocket FoundationTO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES
    $50,0002022 Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncUNRESTRICTED GENERAL SUPPORT
    $50,0002021 The Sprocket FoundationTO FUND RECIPIENT'S OPERATING ACTIVITIES
    $50,0002020 Tides FoundationHEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
    $45,0002024 Philadelphia FoundationREPRESENTATION TO PEOPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA'S PRISONS
    $45,0002023 Pennsylvania VoicePUBLIC EDUCATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
    $40,0002023 Tides FoundationHEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
    $40,0002023 Philadelphia FoundationSUPPORT AMISTAD LAW PROJECT
    $40,0002022 Philadelphia FoundationADVOCACY
    $35,0002022 Pennsylvania VoicePUBLIC EDUCATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
    $30,6002020 Bread & Roses Community FundFinancial assistance
    $30,0002024 Samuel S. Fels FundGENERAL SUPPORT

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1.  “About.” Amistad Law Project. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://amistadlaw.org/about.
    2. “About Amistad Movement Power.” Amistad Movement Power. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://amistadpower.org/about-amistad-movement-power.
    3. “Advocating for the Pennsylvania DAs Association to Support Elder Parole.” Amistad Law Project. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://amistadlaw.org/advocating-pennsylvania-das-association-support-elder-parole.
    4. “Second Chances at the Board of Pardons.” Amistad Law Project. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://amistadlaw.org/second-chances-board-pardons.
    5. Vera Institute of Justice, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021, Schedule I, Part II.
    6. Independence Public Media Of Philadelphia, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV, Line 3a.
    7. Pennsylvania Voice, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021, Schedule I, Part II.
    8. “Our Team.” Amistad Law Project. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://amistadlaw.org/our-team.
    9. “Stephanie D. Keene.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniekeene/
    10. “Board of Directors.” Amistad Law Project. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://amistadlaw.org/board-directors.
    11. [1] “Board of Directors.” Amistad Law Project. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://amistadlaw.org/board-directors.