In the spirit of bringing community together, a Windsor-based organization, advocating for those who have been incarcerated, and the families affected, held its own easter egg hunt Saturday. The 1st hunt, held by Justice and Advocacy for the Incarcerated (JAI) Foundation, drew more than 100 people to the field outside Parkwood Church. Organizers said the hunt was intended to support those who face the challenges of having loved ones incarcerated. “The families end up finding themselves in an invisible wall, embarrassed to share what their families are going through, embarrassed to share the reality of their life,” said Nyssha Chase, President and founder of the JAI Foundation. Children had the opportunity to roam the property, baskets in hand, eager to find what the Easter Bunny left behind. With the religious history behind Easter, Chase said there was symbolism in holding a community event on the holiday. “He was literally shamed and beaten and hung on a cross as a convict speaking the word of what’s right in the communities,” Chase explained. “We find new life, and I found it a beautiful way to symbolize a new life for individuals asking for their second chance.” As part of their advocacy work, Chase said they put significant focus on laws they feel are unjust in the United States, and specifically the state of Louisianna. While the state has ended laws that allow for a non-unanimous jury vote, Chase said hundreds of people are still incarcerated due to votes made before the change. Historically, she said, the laws were introduced to weaken the impact of Black jurors. “Any one of us is one situation away from finding ourselves in that same faith and to leave children left unable to share the stories of their superheroes because they’re embarrassed by the stigma surrounding incarceration,” Chase added. Despite the influence being more than 1,000 kilometres away, Chase feels there’s a responsibility for those in Canada to share the same want for justice. She pointed to southwestern Ontario’s role in the Underground Railroad and a similar need to stand up. “I feel like us speaking out, sharing the word of what’s going on in Louisiana, closes the gap between communities,” Chase said. “We are one community. We are one family. We are one humankind. And when there’s an injustice, for one, there’s an injustice for all.”
