How Innocence Project sustains their drive toward long-range change

You won't find a lawyer who'll argue that a person innocent of a crime should do the time. It's not a negotiation. With this in mind, in 1992, Innocence Project embarked on a simple, yet revolutionary mission: use DNA to exonerate innocent people who have been incarcerated and turn those pardons into policy. 

Fast forward, and Innocence Project is responsible for 232 of the 375 people who've been freed based on DNA evidence. But establishing solutions to these problems goes beyond the lifetimes of anyone working on them.

So, how does the Innocence Project team maintain the patience, focus, and optimism needed to stay this long, difficult course?

Listen as Justin Wheeler, Funraise CEO and Co-founder, uncovers the secret to sustained action from Christina Swarns, Innocence Project ED and badass advocacy lawyer.

If you're a nonprofit executive wondering...

  • How do I help keep my team motivated when the problem we're trying to solve might outlive us all?
  • How can I celebrate small wins and tie them back to the bigger picture?
  • How can I stay grounded in the face of uncertainty?

...then hearing how Innocence Project has done it for 30 years will provide you with the motivation to keep working yourself out of a job.

It's estimated that 2% of the prison population—hundreds of thousands of people—are anticipated or expected to be wrongfully convicted in the United States. If you're interested in helping exonerate innocent people, get involved with the Innocence Project today.

Speakers

Christina Swarns

Executive Director
Innocence Project

Christina Swarns is the Executive Director of the Innocence Project. Before arguing—and winning—Buck v. Davis in the United States Supreme Court, Christina served as a litigator and leader in some of America's most established and respected and organizations. Christina was the only Black woman to argue in the 2016 Supreme Court Term and is one of the few Black women to have argued before the nation's highest court.

Justin Wheeler

CEO and Co-founder
Funraise

As a social entrepreneur, Justin helped start two successful nonprofits, both of which became multi-million dollar organizations. He brings over 10 years of experience from the nonprofit sector and was an early team member of Invisible Children, which raised over $50M in the first 8 years of operation.

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