BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//github.com/ical-org/ical.net//NONSGML ical.net 5.1.4//EN VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT DESCRIPTION:Join us to meet Anthony Graves who will present his compelling story of 18 years on death row in Texas before being exonerated.    Anth ony Charles Graves  (born August 29\, 1965) is a nationally recognized cr iminal justice reform advocate\, author\, and the 138th person exonerated from death row in the United States. Wrongfully convicted at age 26 for a crime he did not commit\, Anthony spent 18 and a half years behind bars— 12 of those years in solitary confinement on Texas death row—before his conviction was overturned and he was fully exonerated in 2010. His story\, marked by resilience and the pursuit of justice\, has become a touchstone for reform efforts nationwide.   Following his exoneration\, Anthony tra nsformed his trauma into purpose. He is the president and founder of the P eer Navigator Project—an innovative initiative that trains formerly inca rcerated individuals to serve as expert partners to criminal defense attor neys and as mentors for returning citizens. Through this program\, Peer Na vigators are equipped to work alongside legal teams and to support individ uals reentering society\, providing mentorship and guidance during the cru cial first 18 months of freedom. The Peer Navigator Project stands as a mo del for holistic\, lived-experience-driven advocacy and reentry support\, with a proven track record of reducing recidivism and improving outcomes f or justice-involved individuals.   Anthony’s impact extends beyond dire ct service. His Emmy Award-winning documentary\,  Grave Injustice\, chron icles his journey and exposes the systemic failures that lead to wrongful convictions\, sparking national dialogue and legislative scrutiny. As a so ught-after public speaker and consultant\, Anthony has testified before th e U.S. Senate\, contributed to policy reforms\, and educated legal profess ionals on the realities of wrongful conviction and the urgent need for sys temic change.   Currently\, Anthony serves as Director of Community Outre ach at the Harris County Public Defender’s Office\, where he leads effor ts to build bridges between the legal system and the communities it serves . In this capacity\, he continues to champion the integration of lived exp erience into defense strategy and reentry programming\, ensuring that just ice is not only served but also restored.   Born and raised in Brenham\, Texas\, Anthony is the eldest of five siblings and a proud father of three . His life’s work embodies resilience\, hope\, and the unwavering belief that justice must be accessible and fair for all. Through his leadership\ , advocacy\, and storytelling\, Anthony Graves remains a powerful force fo r change in the American criminal justice system. DTEND:20250821T180000Z DTSTAMP:20261025T013100Z DTSTART:20250821T163000Z LOCATION:Tony's SEQUENCE:1 SUMMARY:From Death Row to Justice UID:5637fb53-45ca-490a-bf1e-d0a34c3f25e9 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Join us to meet Anthon y Graves who will present his compelling story of 18 years on death row in Texas before being exonerated. \;

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Anthony Charles Graves \; (born August 29\, 1965) is a nationally rec ognized criminal justice reform advocate\, author\, and the 138th person e xonerated from death row in the United States. Wrongfully convicted at age 26 for a crime he did not commit\, Anthony spent 18 and a half years behi nd bars&mdash\;12 of those years in solitary confinement on Texas death ro w&mdash\;before his conviction was overturned and he was fully exonerated in 2010. His story\, marked by resilience and the pursuit of justice\, has become a touchstone for reform efforts nationwide.

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Following his exone ration\, Anthony transformed his trauma into purpose. He is the president and founder of the Peer Navigator Project&mdash\;an innovative initiative that trains formerly incarcerated individuals to serve as expert partners to criminal defense attorneys and as mentors for returning citizens. Throu gh this program\, Peer Navigators are equipped to work alongside legal tea ms and to support individuals reentering society\, providing mentorship an d guidance during the crucial first 18 months of freedom. The Peer Navigat or Project stands as a model for holistic\, lived-experience-driven advoca cy and reentry support\, with a proven track record of reducing recidivism and improving outcomes for justice-involved individuals.

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Anthony&rsquo \;s impact extends beyond direct service. His Emmy Award-winning documenta ry\, \; Grave Injustice\, chronicles his journey and exposes the syste mic failures that lead to wrongful convictions\, sparking national dialogu e and legislative scrutiny. As a sought-after public speaker and consultan t\, Anthony has testified before the U.S. Senate\, contributed to policy r eforms\, and educated legal professionals on the realities of wrongful con viction and the urgent need for systemic change.

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Currently\, Anthony se rves as Director of Community Outreach at the Harris County Public Defende r&rsquo\;s Office\, where he leads efforts to build bridges between the le gal system and the communities it serves. In this capacity\, he continues to champion the integration of lived experience into defense strategy and reentry programming\, ensuring that justice is not only served but also re stored.

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Born and raised in Brenham\, Texas\, Anthony is the eldest of f ive siblings and a proud father of three. His life&rsquo\;s work embodies resilience\, hope\, and the unwavering belief that justice must be accessi ble and fair for all. Through his leadership\, advocacy\, and storytelling \, Anthony Graves remains a powerful force for change in the American crim inal justice system.

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