Transformative Justice Coalition

Activities

Transformative Justice Coalition claims to be internationally renowned for its contributions to civil rights. It touts its participation in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which among other things allowed employees to sue their employers based on identity discrimination. It also extolls its role in the 2006 reauthorization of provisions in the Voting Rights Act, which prohibited the use of tests to deny the right to vote in any election nationwide and necessitated that state and local governments make voting materials available in multiple languages. ^{3 4}

Transformative Justice Coalition runs multiple advocacy initiatives to pursue its racial justice goals. Its Democracy and Voting Rights Project aims to change election laws to slacken election regulations. Its Youth Development Leadership Initiative allows young people to enhance their speaking and organizational skills to train them to become activists. Its Criminal Justice Project works with former felons to educate the public about criminal justice goals. In tandem with the NAACP, Transformative Justice Coalition runs the Policing Reform Project, which promotes body cameras, dash cams, and community control reforms. Other initiatives include the Race and Sports Equity Project, the International Human Rights Initiative, and the African American Women and Girls Project. ²

In June 2025, Transformative Justice Coalition participated in organizing or supporting protests branded under the “#NoKings” banner, a national day of demonstrations positioned as a defense of democratic norms against President Donald Trump. These events were part of a larger mobilization involving over 70 Democratic Party affiliates and allied organizations across at least 19 U.S. states and multiple international locations, according to publicly available event listings on Mobilize.us, a Democratic Party-aligned organizing platform. ^{5 6}

Finances

In 2023, Transformative Justice Coalition had a total revenue $3,388,383, total expenses of $3,412,012, and total assets of $1,645,647. ⁷

Funding

Transformative Justice Coalition has received funding from the American Gift Fund, Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust, BVM Capacity Building Institute, Carolina for All Education Foundation, Communications Workers of America, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, End Citizens United (ECU) Action Fund, Feminist Majority Foundation, Foundation for Social Impact, National Conference of Black Lawyers, Irma and Arthur Miller Family Foundation, National Philanthropic Trust, New Venture Fund, NEO Philanthropy, San Francisco Foundation, Tides Foundation, Vance R. and Colleen H. Andrus Family Foundation (aka Indigo Oak Fund), When We All Vote, and W. K. Kellogg Foundation. ⁸ The Kellogg Foundation gave a grant of $200,000 for a voter mobilization project in 2015. ⁹

Leadership

Barbara R. Arnwine is the president and founder of Transformative Justice Coalition. She played a role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the 2006 reauthorization of provisions of the Voting Rights Act. She is a co-chair and facilitator of the National Commission for Voter Justice, the Millennial Votes Matters Convenings, and the Voting Rights Alliance. She was the former leader of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and holds the title of president emeritus from the organization. In 2011, she created a “Voting Rights Map of Shame” exposing an alleged wave of voter suppression across the United States. ¹

Daryl D. Jones is the chair of the board. He is a practicing lawyer, an advisor to the Maryland Caucus of African American Leaders, and a member of Take Back Our Street. ¹⁰