Reflection Essay: Hailey Riven

How does the state make it difficult to exonerate an individual even though it isn’t hard to wrongly convict someone?

I became passionate about civic engagement last summer after interning with the Tennessee Innocence Project (TIP) where I was exposed to flaws in our criminal justice system. My involvement in the non-profit helped me gain a better understanding and a new perspective towards the unfairness of our system.

After interning with the TIP for over 85 hours, I had the opportunity to spend time with many individuals who focus their lives on eradicating the barrier that race continues to play in the justice system, as well as attempting to provide the necessary resources to exonerate the wrongly convicted. Hayley Levy, TIP’s Director of Development said that they “[do] this work because [they] believe that being imprisoned for a crime you did not commit is one of the greatest injustices a person can suffer.” Dehumanizing individuals, especially targeting their race, has corrupted our justice system, not only on the state level but the federal level as well.

My involvement in the non-profit helped me gain a better understanding of the unfairness of our justice system. I attended lunch-ins with other non-profits where the whole purpose was to discuss and break down the unfair legalities of the system. There are so many groups, just like the TIP, that strive to work for a better humanity. It made me happy and proud to be a part of a community where so many people cared about making sure every human had a fair chance at life with equal opportunities, whether that’s legally, racially, or economically. While working with litigators to decide on which cases of innocence the non-profit would take, I still couldn’t grasp the astronomical number of cases where race seemed to be the only “substantial evidence.” In speaking with exonerees, I learned about the biased and cruel discriminations that innocent individuals may face because of a corrupt justice system where courts seem to be lazy when dealing with evidence.

I was able to meet Joyce Watkins over the summer. The TIP exonerated Joyce in 2022. Joyce was the nicest woman in the world. I remember she loved baking goods and knitting gifts for the office to continue to express her gratitude for those that helped her prove her innocence. What impressed me most about Joyce was that even though she spent 27 years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit, she continues to be the most hardworking and spirited woman. She didn’t let the injustices stop her from living her life now. She is very happy and personable and thankful for the opportunity to continue to live her life as she once did.

I helped TIP organize an event in Memphis where Anthony Ray Hinton, an exoneree, came to speak about his experience. Being able to help promote the incredible and impactful mission of the TIP made me feel that I was making a difference. Reaching out to donors and assisting in applying for grants was another way that I felt I was making a positive impact for the wrongfully convicted community. I hope to continue to take part in the TIP’s work and continue to strive for a more fair and equal justice system. After my internship with the Tennessee Innocence Project, I strive to promote change for the wrongly convicted as well as help incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. Not only am I still involved with nonprofits like the TIP, but I also continue to look for ways to enact racial change.