5 years ago, Ella Bridge, founder of RAW Justice Haven, took action after she discovered the story of Joshua Williams-   

an 18-year-old with no prior arrests, standing on the front lines of Ferguson, Missouri, demanding justice for Michael Brown.                    Out of anguish Josh acted out, lighting two trash cans on fire and stealing under $500 at a quick shop, he was sentenced                  to 8 years in prison. Joshua Williams turns 30 this year - imprisoned for 11 years, still wrongfully held.

Through that single stand and Joshua’s unwavering advocacy from within - he brought many more to Ella, and the Justice Haven was grown.

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​We go to the roots of the system that keep mass incarceration alive and traps both staff and the incarcerated in cycles of harm: trauma, untreated mental illness, historical conditioning, oppression, poverty, youth and systemic racism.

 We equip and fortify residents, loved ones, the staff and our youth, with faith-based transformative tools: well-being practices, intentional thought, conscious communication, mindset discipline, empowerment, and fierce advocacy.                                                True rehabilitation demands intentional investment from ALL.

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We ensure focused care and uncompromising advocacy.

The Haven confronts the most urgent and overlooked injustices inside our prisons-unmet medical needs, inhumane conditions, staff abuse that strip away dignity and due process.

For those with no one on the outside, we step in-providing essentials: connection, food, hygiene products, phone access, stamps...

acts that declare you are not forgotten.

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The Haven takes on a select number of wrongful-conviction cases to ensure focus, diligence, and uncompromising rigor.             We work alongside the incarcerated individual, their loved ones (if present) public defenders, and attorneys. Each case is meticulously assembled and advanced while legal representation is pending.

Ella stands beside eleven wrongfully incarcerated men - actively assembling and advancing six cases of those eleven for trial and release. Most of these men have little or no support on the outside. We are committed to bringing them home safely.

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 Ella has carried this mission with honor and unwavering conviction - sustaining it through her own hands, heart and limited resources. The Haven is now co-creative with incarcerated and reentry warriors, human-rights defenders, legal counsel, and trauma-informed practitioners. Together, we are strengthening the Haven’s capacity to heal: restoring dignity, preparing individuals for release, supporting families, rebuilding communities, and creating early intervention and guidance for at-risk youth.                  This is how we break mass incarceration—through healing, empowerment, and collective transformation.

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TOGETHER~ We are fueling the flourishing of the Haven where ~ WE RESTORE, RECLAIM, RENEW and GET FREE 
And yes, we even have joy and laughter along the way! ​​​​​
 

Our work is sustained through donations and a sliding-scale model.