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Join us to support the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.

On July 2, 1777, Vermont became the first Colony to abolish slavery when it ratified its first constitution and became a sovereign country, a status it maintained until its admittance to the Union in 1791 as the 14th state in the United States. 

According to Frog Meadow’s Dave King…

“I am white gay man from Vermont and I am making a stand for equal justice….There is no justice for anyone unless there is justice for everyone!

Since I spend much of my time on my bike I am pledging $.10 for each mile I ride in 2020 to the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.”

The Equal Justice Initiative earned the top ranking from Charity Navigator and won a Skoll Award for impact on social justice reform. 91.2% of all funds raised go to direct services”.

Dave is at 6,082 miles as of September 13 and hopes to reach 8,000 miles or more by year’s end. Help motivate him to crush his past record of 7,000 miles in a year! Dave will be donating his miles on a monthly basis starting with a $300 donation on June 2, 2020. Please join him and pledge by the mile to support this important cause. We will post monthly mileage updates here on the first of each month.

 

 

The Equal Justice Initiative earned the top ranking from Charity Navigator and won a Skoll Award for impact on social justice reform. 91.2% of all funds raised go to direct sevices.

The Equal Justice Initiative is a non-profit organization based in Montgomery, Alabama committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. 91.2% of all funds raised go to direct sevices.

Founded in 1989 by Bryan Stevenson, a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer and bestselling author of the book Just Mercy (and 2019 Film Just Mercy, starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson), EJI provides legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons. EJI challenges the death penalty and excessive punishment and provides re-entry assistance to formerly incarcerated people.

  • In addition to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned, providing legal assistance to innocent death row prisoners, confront abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aid children prosecuted as adults, the Equal Justice Initiative operates the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a national memorial to victims of lynching and a separate museum, The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, that explores African American history from enslavement to mass incarceration.

    EJI works with communities that have been marginalized by poverty and discouraged by unequal treatment and is committed to changing the narrative about race in America.

  • EJI is dedicated to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned, providing legal assistance to innocent death row prisoners, confront abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aid children prosecuted as adults.
  • EJI is actively engaged in a campaign to recognize the victims of lynching by collecting soil from lynching sites, erecting historical markers, and creating a national memorial that acknowledges the horrors of racial injustice.
  • To expand its educational outreach, in 2018 EJI completed construction and opened a national memorial to victims of lynching and a separate museum that explores African American history from enslavement to mass incarceration:
    • The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved black people, people terrorized by lynching, African Americans humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence.
    • The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration is situated on a site in Montgomery where enslaved people were once warehoused. A block from one of the most prominent slave auction spaces in America, the Legacy Museum is steps away from an Alabama dock and rail station where tens of thousands of black people were trafficked during the 19th century.

Your contribution is critical to EJI’s efforts to challenge poverty and racial injustice, advocate for equal treatment in the criminal justice system, and create hope for marginalized communities.

If you would like to help us support this important cause please click here for more information and to donate! 

Thank You!

 

 

 

 

 

Fall foliage in Tinmouth Vermont. Great scenery, great company, PB&J lunch in a cornfield…what more could you ask for?

 

Dave’s mid-October Update:

Another month another 1,000 miles on the bike…less than 1,000 miles to go to reach my goal of 8000 miles by years end! I am keeping my eyes on the prize and am looking forward to MANY things being accomplished in November 2020!
Here’s an image taken in Tinmouth Vermont, a tiny little town southwest of Rutland, at around 6,800 miles. Scott and I did a 45 mile ride through Tinmouth, Danby, Pawlet, Middletown Springs, Ira and Clarendon, Vermont on a perfect fall day. Great scenery, great company, PB&J lunch in a cornfield…what more could you ask for?
Thanks to all for your continued support and positive thoughts!

While riding we noticed this George Floyd painting on the side of a barn in Putney, Vermont and the poignant the words painted above the image of George Floyd. If you look closely at the image you can make out: “What ever happened to that Golden Rule?” A good question for these times indeed!

Dave’s mid-September Update:

As of September 13, I am at 6,082 miles. I am maintaining the 1,000 mile per month pace that has been in place since the beginning of July. Most weeks I ride about 225-250 miles and sometimes I break 300 miles for the week! Hubby Scott has been along on many of the rides. I welcome the company! I am feel strong, no particular aches and pains so I am happy with that! With the cooler weather and dry conditions typical for fall in Vermont I should have no problem getting to or exceeding my 8,000 mile goal by the end of the year!

I have attached an image of a George Floyd painting seen on the side of a barn in Putney, Vermont. As Scott and I ride along the back roads of Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts we are moved and encouraged by the many Black Lives Matter Lawn signs and were particulary moved by this barn-side mural. As we stopped to admire the work we noticed the words painted above the image of George Floyd. If you look closely at the image you can make out: “What ever happened to that Golden Rule?” A good question for these  times indeed!

 

 

Dave hits 4,950 miles on a cool August 7 at Warwick, MA, elevation 950 ft!

Dave’s Early August Update:

Hello all! Thanks again for your support and many thanks to those who donated in the month of July! I am now at 4950 miles so a bit over 1000 miles for July. and just under 2000 miles since June 1. I am feeling good and more determined than ever to reach or exceed my goal of 8000 miles by the end of the year. 

Here is a shot of me taken by hubby Scott in Warwick Massachusetts, a tiny hamlet in the north central part of the state just over the line from Winchester, NH. This was 1/2 way through a 50 mile loop starting in Brattleboro VT. We reached Warwick after a 5 mile, 1100 vertical foot climb from Northfield  Mass in the Connecticut River Valley. It was a nice cool day at around 75 degrees. 

I continue to be motivated by the cause I am supporting, that of social and judicial justice for the disenfranchised and disadvantaged.  As each mile goes by I become more and more determined to make a difference, not just by this campaign but by my own self examination around issues of race. 

Thanks again to all!

 

 

 

 

 

Dave hits 4,000 miles on a hot July 13 at the Northfield, MA Drive-in Theater!

Dave’s July 1 Update:

Hi Everybody! First I want to thank everyone for donating to this important cause. My miles for the month of June came to 875 for a total of 3,875 this calendar year. Almost halfway there to 8,000 miles with at least 3 months of optimal riding time left this season. Last year I was at about 2,000 miles at this point in the season and reached 6,500 for 2019. I was on track for reaching 1,000 miles for the month of June but several days of stormy weather at the end of the month kept me off my bike. Maybe I will be able to make it up in July! Have a great holiday weekend and please stay safe everybody!

 

 
 
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