Zealous is an advocacy group that uses art, media, and storytelling to push for left-of-center criminal justice policies through the training and support of public defense attorneys. Launched in 2019, it claims to work with roughly 52 public defenders representing 42 offices, and operating in 27 states. ¹

The organization is a fiscal project of the Tides Center, a left-of-center nonprofit associated with the Tides Foundation. Both are part of the Tides Nexus collection which provides pass-through funding and fiscal sponsorship for left-of-center nonprofits. ²

Background

Zealous was founded in 2019 by Scott Hechinger, who previously served as a public defender in Brooklyn, New York. The organization claims to work with roughly 52 public defenders representing 42 offices and to operate in about 27 states as of 2024. ¹

The group advocates for using art and storytelling to train public defenders in local communities as well as building coalitions of organizations, local public defender offices, and educational centers. In addition, according to its website, the group advocates in favor of left-of-center criminal justice policies including the legalization of marijuana, decriminalization of other controlled substances, and pre-trial decarceration. ^{3 2}

The organization advertises media projects and visual aids to display certain perspectives on the criminal justice system. Such projects include analyses of videos it claims show police violence, testimonies of incarcerated individuals in local jails, and conversations with local activists on the issue of defunding the police. In addition, the website contains artistic displays including a collection of letters written by those in solitary confinement, as well as testimonials from online sites that advocate for left-of-center racial justice policies. ⁴

Leadership

Scott Hechinger is the founder and executive director of Zealous. He is also the founder of the bail organization Envision Freedom Fund and the news analysis group Center for Just Journalism. Prior to founding Zealous, Hechinger was a public defender in Brooklyn, New York as well as the director of policy at the Brooklyn Defender Services. In addition, he was later appointed as a lecturer-in-law at the Columbia Law School, the University of San Francisco School of Law, and the University of Chicago Law School. ^{5 6}

Demetrius Titus is the deputy executive director of Zealous. Prior to working for the organization, he worked as the program lead associate for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and took on several roles with the Marriott Hotels chain including the account manager and the accounts receivable accountant. ^{7 8}

Members of the group’s advisory council include Jonathan Rapping, the founder and director of Gideon’s Promise; Josie Duffy-Rice, president of The Appeal; and Samuel Sinyangwe, founder of Campaign Zero. ⁷

Partners

Several of Zealous’ partners are listed as educational programs and schools within local universities. These include the Center for Institutional and Social Change as well as the Center for Law and Advocacy within Columbia University’s Law School, the Prison Law and Policy Program within UCLA’s Law School, the University of Chicago Law School, and the University of San Francisco School of Law. ⁹

Zealous has partnered with several county public defenders’ offices within the United States, including those in Alameda County, California; Cook County, Illinois; Harris County, Texas; Los Angeles County, California; and Prince George’s County, Maryland. In addition, local offices listed as partners include the Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Defender Association of Philadelphia, Mississippi Public Defender, and Orleans Public Defenders. ⁹

National-level partner organizations with Zealous include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Civil Rights Corps, Color of Change, FWD.us, Gideon’s Promise, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Measures for Justice (MFJ), the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Partners for Justice (PFJ), PEN America, Teen Vogue, the Bail Project,  and the Vera Institute of Justice (VIJ). ¹⁰

Local affiliates partnered with Zealous include the ACLU of Mississippi, the ACLU of Oregon, Court Watch NOLA, Dream Defenders, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and VOCAL-NY.  ¹⁰

Several of the creative and talent agencies listed as partners for the group include the Art for Justice Fund, Hyperakt, MASS Design, and Unchained Stories. ¹⁰

Financials

The group is a fiscally sponsored project of the Tides Center, a left-of-center nonprofit associated with the Tides Foundation. Both are part of the Tides Nexus,  which provides pass-through funding and fiscal sponsorship for left-of-center nonprofits. ¹¹

1. “Event.” Zealous, Accessed August 9, 2024. https://zealo.us/event/
2.  “Home.” Zealous, Accessed July 22, 2024. https://zealo.us/
3. Keyser, Matt. “How Zealous Is Giving More Power to Public Defenders.” June 23, 2021. https://www.arnoldventures.org/stories/how-zealous-is-giving-more-power-to-public-defenders
4. “Our Latest.” Zealous, Accessed August 2, 2024. https://zealo.us/#latest-section
5. “About.” Zealous, Accessed August 5, 2024. https://zealo.us/about/
6. “Scott Hechinger.” LinkedIn, Accessed August 12, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotthechinger
7.  “About.” Zealous, Accessed August 14, 2024. https://zealo.us/about/
8. “Demetrius Titus.” LinkedIn, Accessed August 14, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetrius-titus-9944b3115
9. “Partners.” Zealous, Accessed August 14, 2024. https://zealo.us/about/#partners
10.  “Partners.” Zealous, Accessed August 13, 2024. https://zealo.us/about/#partners
11. “Home.” Zealous, Accessed July 29, 2024. https://zealo.us/