Lived Experience at the Table: FailSafe-ERA Agents of Change Advocate for Justice Reform

Real justice reform happens when lived experience has a seat at the table.

On August 14, several FailSafe-ERA Agents of Change Tim Williams, Ricky Lambert and Tonia Garnett attended the Northern Virginia Series on Strengthening Justice, hosted by the Legal Aid Justice Center.

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This event brought returning citizens, reentry leaders, elected officials, public defenders, and community advocates together to tackle pretrial reform and the lasting burden of fines and fees.

Tonia Garnett brought firsthand experience into the conversation, reminding everyone that policy decisions impact real people, long after a courtroom closes. The day wasn’t just about identifying problems, but also building solutions with the people who have lived them.

At FailSafe-ERA, that’s what being an Agent of Change is all about: turning lived experience into leadership, advocacy, and action.