Lessons from Our 2024 Ambassador Impact Campaigns

Storytelling drives policy change, healing, and hope. At Represent Justice, we know this as truth. Our 2024 Ambassador Film Impact Campaign Report highlights the influence of this cohort’s stories on policymakers, universities, correctional institutions, and over 1 million people nationwide. Each film campaign proved that when those closest to the problem lead, transformation follows. Here are five key takeaways from the 2024 Ambassador campaigns:

Storytelling Shifts Policy

Stories have always influenced our laws; those rooted in lived experience can shape laws through a humane lens. Chasing Redemption by Thaisan Nguon reached policymakers across California, helping advance Senate Bill 672. The movement for such bills calls for lawmakers to recognize that young adults who have committed serious offenses may still be capable of change.

Films Heal Families and Communities

Every person affected by incarceration represents a network of family and community pain and healing. The Candle by Jessie Mabrey highlighted the emotional toll on children and inspired new family support programs. Jessie’s campaign shed light on hidden trauma and called for communities to foster empathy across generations.

Creativity is Liberating

For many who remain incarcerated, liberation can begin in the mind and spirit. The campaign for Power of the Pen by Kareemah Hanifa used journaling and poetry workshops to reach 735,000+ participants inside prisons and youth centers. This campaign modeled a culture shift that values creative expression as a catalyst for growth and transformation.

Partnership Amplifies the Message

A story’s strength is multiplied by the support system within which it exists. The impact of the 2024 Ambassador films expanded through partnerships with nonprofits, educators, and state institutions.  In total, 52 screenings were organized by 41 screening partners.

Redemption Reimagines Justice

Across every Ambassador campaign, audiences witnessed transformation and resilience that challenge society’s assumptions about who deserves a second chance.

These takeaways share only three of the seven Ambassador films that drove change last year. Explore the full 2024 Ambassador Film Impact Highlights report to see how each campaign created lasting influence.