[2] In April 2019, Time magazine named Meade as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. But despite those challenges, he managed to earn a law degree. Event Details. Meade turned his life around and completed the Chapman Partnership drug treatment program, a program specifically designed to help the homeless through their recovery. [3] In June 2020, Meade was featured in a RepresentUs video focused on highlighting problems with America's criminal justice system. Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Featured image courtesy of [ACLU of Southern California via Flickr]. Eleventh Circuit Rules Georgia Code is Uncopyrightable, Appellate Litigation Protip: Do Not Attach Drugs to Your Petition, Legal Productivity Tools to Transform Your Firm, Growing Number of Law Schools Accept GRE Instead of LSAT, Research Finds Justifiable Homicide Rulings More Likely to Benefit White Americans, Possession of Small Amount of Drugs No Longer a Felony Offense in Oregon, UK Police See Big Increase in Drunk Flier Arrests. A string of unfortunate events -- including dismissal from the U.S. Army, his mother's death, foreclosure on his family home, and a fifteen year sentence for possession of a firearm as a felon -- led Meade down a slippery slope to homelessness in the streets of Miami, and eventually prompted him to attempt suicide. Desmond Meade's inspirational story could be straight out of a major motion picture. Desmond Meade (born July 22, 1967) is a voting rights activist and Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. [6], Florida as of 2018 was one of only three US states to deny voting rights to anyone with a felony record. According to Mead in an interview The Miami Times, “when you’re homeless, there’s a harsh emotional aspect, no one really cared one way or another if you lived or if you died.” It was at this point that he realized that he needed to do something drastic to make positive changes in his life. However, there is still one thing standing in his way: Florida state law prohibits convicted felons from practicing law. He has shown that no matter where you come from, you can accomplish your goals with hard work and perseverance.
“I’m going to stay here.
Desmond’s story, and his commitment to a fully enfranchised nation, will prove to readers that one person really can make a difference.
As chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, Meade led the successful effort to pass Florida Amendment 4, a 2018 state initiative that restored voting rights to over 1.4 million Floridians with previous felony convictions. Red Light Cameras: Saving Lives or Infringing on Rights?
She was a member of Law Street’s founding Law School Rankings team during the summer of 2014. News Quiz, News Quiz, Get Your News Quiz! Florida Man's Journey From Inmate To Law School Graduate Is Beyond Inspiring, Mannequins Invade Downtown In Homeless Youth Campaign. We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote! Now, at the age of 46, Meade stands proud and with a newfound purpose in life.
He says, “I’m going to stay here.
But Florida state law prohibits convicted felons from practicing law, voting, running for political office, and serving on a jury, and rather than moving to another state, Meade is determined to stay in Florida and change that. In addition, Meade is working with the program to end mass incarceration in Florida. ©2020 Verizon Media. He is using his personal experiences to drive him in his work. Is the Separation of Church and State Over? Part of HuffPost Black Voices. "I realized all the pain and suffering I went through all my life became worthwhile when I used it to help someone else," he said. Law Street Media, LLC. He said, “I realized all the pain and suffering I went through all my life became worthwhile when I used it to help someone else, I realized that was my purpose — to help those less fortunate.” Meade is now the director of Lifelines to Healing Campaign, a PICO United program that aims to address and end the root causes of violence in cities across the country.
As a young man, Meade was convicted of some drug charges and spent time in prison for possession of a firearm. He returned to Miami, and was convicted of several drug charges as a result of living the fast-paced life of a celebrity bodyguard.
Marijuana May Not Actually Help with PTSD or Chronic Pain, Hawaii’s First Marijuana Dispensary Has Already Run Out of Weed. In June 2020, Meade was featured in a RepresentUsvideo focu… While certainly unconventional, that is the path that Desmond Meade took to obtain his law degree from Florida International University. The State of Weed: Marijuana Legalization State by State. Did Instagram Change its Marijuana Marketing Policy? While there is certainly a high standard when arguing before the committee, this process makes it possible for convicted felons to get a second chance. Desmond Meade's inspirational story could be straight out of a major motion picture. Why are Some Prisons Banning Inmates From Teaching Themselves to Code.
“When you’re homeless, there’s a harsh emotional aspect,” he said.
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After successfully completing the Chapman Partnership's drug treatment program -- where Meade attributes learning to love himself again -- he graduated summa cum laude in paralegal studies from Miami-Dade Community College’s North Campus in 2010 and later enrolled in the law school at FIU. [1] As chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, Meade led the successful effort to pass Florida Amendment 4, a 2018 state initiative that restored voting rights to over 1.4 million Floridians with previous felony convictions. So while Meade spent the past three years taking classes to prepare him for practicing law in Florida, he is unable to do so.
In 1995, his mother passed away and shortly after, his family home was foreclosed. According to James Hirby at The Law Dictionary, “the person to be licensed must have objective evidence that he or she is a person of good moral character, complete rehabilitation, and a member of the community” in order to get their license to practice law. Today is National Voter Registration Day! Many feel that a felony conviction is a direct contradiction to these qualities, which is why in most states–such as Florida, where Meade resides–convicted felons are barred from getting their license to practice. [4], According to The New York Times, Meade "was born in St. Croix and moved to Miami with his parents when he was 5. Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter, Mannequins invade downtown in homeless youth campaign, Register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot today.
Guantanamo Bay’s Ex-Detainees: Where Are They Now? This raises an interesting question–should convicted felons be allowed to practice law? Now a married man with five stepchildren, Meade received his Juris Doctorate degree from Florida International University last Friday. Nearly every state has rules about getting a license to practice law, most of which make it nearly impossible for convicted felons to get their license. Brittany Alzfan is a student at the George Washington University majoring in Criminal Justice. All rights reserved. var d = new Date();
Contact Brittany at staff@LawStreetMedia.com. All rights reserved. After graduating high school in 1985, Meade pursued a career in the United States Army, which ended after he was caught stealing liquor while stationed in Hawaii. Meade is now the director of Lifelines to Healing Campaign, a PICO United Florida program that aims to end mass incarceration and put a stop to violence in neighborhood communities. In 2005, after being released from prison, he checked himself into a drug treatment program and began to rebuild his life. His mother worked as a waitress, and his father was a mechanic. Desmond Meade is a formerly homeless returning citizen who overcame many obstacles to eventually become the President of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), Chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, and a graduate of Florida International University College of Law. //]]>
Reviews “Desmond Meade is one of my personal heroes, and his story is an inspiration for all those who aim to build a radically more inclusive democracy.” —Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow While certainly unconventional, that is the path that Desmond Meade took to obtain his law degree from Florida International University. In April 2019, Time magazine named Meade as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
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