Glenn E. Martin

Glenn E. Martin
Born:	October 30, 1970 Brooklyn, New York
Charges:	Armed robbery
Sentence:	6 years state prison
Facility:	Attica Correctional Facility (New York)
Status:	Released (2000)

Glenn E. Martin (born October 30, 1970) is an American criminal justice reform advocate, entrepreneur, and founder of multiple organizations dedicated to reducing mass incarceration in the United States.

Martin spent six years in New York State prisons after a conviction for armed robbery and has since become one of the nation's most prominent voices for reform led by formerly incarcerated individuals. He founded JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA), an organization dedicated to cutting the U.S. correctional population in half by 2030, and later established GEMtrainers, a consulting firm, and GEMrealestate, a real estate investment company that provides housing to formerly incarcerated individuals.

Background and Early Life

Martin was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a Caribbean immigrant mother who moved to the United States with her two young sons hoping to provide them with a better future. Growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, Martin faced the challenges of urban poverty. "Growing up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, you have a narrative, a very powerful narrative," Martin has said. "'I'm black; no one cares. No one comes to my neighborhood unless they are a policeman or a teacher.'"

Martin's criminal involvement began in childhood with petty theft. "Everything I did was about escaping poverty," he has explained. "I wanted to do anything so that I could pay rent, buy clothes and food. I was embarrassed about using food stamps. I was hell-bent on not struggling like my mother."

First Incarceration

At age 16, Martin was arrested for shoplifting and sent to Rikers Island, New York City's notorious jail complex. A judge believed 48 hours there might deter him from future criminal activity. Instead, the experience had the opposite effect. During those two days, Martin was stabbed four times. Rather than discouraging criminal behavior, surviving the experience earned him admiration among his peers. "I could survive in one of the worst jails in the country," Martin recalled. "It was a badge of honor that I could handle it."

Armed Robbery Conviction

By age 23, Martin was back at Rikers Island, this time convicted of armed robbery for robbing a jewelry store at gunpoint. After spending approximately one year at Rikers, he was transferred to an upstate prison where he would serve the remainder of a six-year sentence.

Prison Experience

Martin has described his time in prison as transformative, though not in the way the system intended. "Serving time in prison allowed me to analyze the system from inside the belly of the beast," he said. "I met some of America's best and brightest in prison."

A pivotal moment came when a prison counselor told Martin that he should go to college—the first time anyone had ever suggested higher education as a possibility for him. "It was a profound experience for me that someone, especially in that setting, saw something in me that I didn't see in myself," Martin recalled.

Martin enrolled in college while incarcerated, earning an associate's degree in Liberal Arts. His education during incarceration became foundational to his later advocacy for restoring Pell Grant access to incarcerated students.

Martin was released from Attica Correctional Facility in 2000. As he left, a correctional officer made a comment that would stay with him: "He said my being there helped pay for his boat, and that when my son came there, he would help pay for his son's boat."

Post-Release Advocacy Career

Legal Action Center

Upon release, Martin began his career at the Legal Action Center (LAC), a nonprofit organization that fights discrimination against people with criminal records, HIV/AIDS, and histories of addiction. He eventually rose to serve as co-director of LAC's Helping Individuals with Criminal Records Reenter through Employment (H.I.R.E.) Network for six years.

The Fortune Society

Martin subsequently joined The Fortune Society, one of the nation's most respected reentry organizations. He served for seven years as Vice President of Development and Public Affairs, helping to expand the organization's profile and fundraising capacity.

Education from the Inside Out Coalition

Martin co-founded the Education from the Inside Out Coalition, a national campaign working to remove barriers to higher education facing students while incarcerated and after release. This advocacy reflected his personal experience of accessing education while in prison.

JustLeadershipUSA

In November 2014, Martin founded JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA), an organization built on the principle that those most affected by incarceration should lead the movement for criminal justice reform. JLUSA's stated mission is to cut the U.S. correctional population in half by 2030 while reducing crime.

"I believe the most compelling advocates of change are those who have been directly affected by incarceration," Martin told Mic.

JLUSA provides leadership training to formerly incarcerated individuals, builds and sustains an engaged national membership, and drives policy advocacy at federal, state, and local levels. Notable figures associated with JLUSA include Michelle Alexander, author of "The New Jim Crow," and Piper Kerman of "Orange Is the New Black" fame, both of whom served on advisory roles.

#CLOSErikers Campaign

Martin founded the #CLOSErikers campaign, a major initiative to close New York City's notorious Rikers Island jail complex—the same facility where he was first incarcerated as a teenager and later stabbed.

White House Meeting

In early June 2015, Martin was invited to the White House along with other criminal justice reform activists to discuss mass incarceration and law enforcement issues.

The United States Secret Service flagged Martin as a security risk because of his criminal record, requiring a special escort to enter the White House complex. Martin used the incident to highlight the barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals, ultimately meeting with President Obama to discuss JustLeadershipUSA and his reform efforts.

Departure from JLUSA

Martin resigned from JustLeadershipUSA in December 2017. In February 2018, The New York Times reported that his departure came after he was accused of sexual misconduct by at least three women of color. Martin has not publicly commented on the specific allegations.

Later Ventures

Following his departure from JLUSA, Martin founded two new organizations in April 2018:

GEMtrainers, LLC offers consulting services to nonprofit leaders seeking to accelerate their organizational performance. The firm provides coaching on fundraising, organizational development, and marketing.

GEMrealestate is a multi-state real estate investment company. Martin owns at least 90 properties that he leases to formerly incarcerated individuals, addressing one of the most significant barriers to successful reentry: housing.

Martin continues to serve on the Council on Criminal Justice and remains active in criminal justice reform advocacy.

Recognition and Awards

• Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award (2016)
• Legal Action Center's Arthur L. Liman Public Interest Award (2015)
• Crisis to Triumph Award, SUNY Empire State College (2015)
• Kentucky Colonel, Highest Honor bestowed by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear (2014)
• Never Be Caged "Closest to the Solution" Award (2019)
• 2014 Echoing Green Black Male Achievement Fellow
• 2012 America's Leaders of Change National Urban Fellow

Terminology

• Mass Incarceration: The substantial increase in the number of incarcerated people in the United States beginning in the 1970s; the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world.

• Reentry: The process of leaving prison and returning to society; involves challenges including finding housing, employment, and rebuilding relationships.

• Pell Grant: Federal financial aid for college students; incarcerated individuals were barred from receiving Pell Grants from 1994 until pilot programs began in 2016.

• Ban the Box: A movement to remove the checkbox asking about criminal history from job applications, allowing applicants to be considered on their qualifications first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was Glenn E. Martin convicted of?

Glenn E. Martin was convicted of armed robbery and served six years in New York State prisons, including time at Attica Correctional Facility. He was released in 2000.

Q: What is JustLeadershipUSA?

JustLeadershipUSA is an organization founded by Glenn E. Martin in 2014, built on the principle that those most affected by incarceration should lead criminal justice reform. Its mission is to cut the U.S. correctional population in half by 2030.

Q: What is the #CLOSErikers campaign?

The #CLOSErikers campaign is a major initiative founded by Glenn E. Martin to close New York City's Rikers Island jail complex—the same facility where he was first incarcerated as a teenager.

Q: What advocacy work has Glenn E. Martin done?

Martin has worked at the Legal Action Center, served as VP at The Fortune Society, co-founded the Education from the Inside Out Coalition, founded JustLeadershipUSA, and launched the #CLOSErikers campaign.

Q: What awards has Glenn E. Martin received?

Martin has received numerous awards including the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award (2016) and was named a 2014 Echoing Green Black Male Achievement Fellow.