The year 2020 has been extremely tough. With a global pandemic, a racial justice reckoning, and a chaotic presidential election, this year has illustrated that the status quo is ineffective, silence perpetuates systemic racism, and civic engagement influences whether or not an officer faces accountability or if elected leaders are committed to protecting citizens from a deadly virus. With everything weâve experienced this year, itâs infuriating that the Office of Juvenile Justice and Gov. John Bel Edwards have decided to move forward with breaking ground on a new youth prison in January. This year should have taught us that our criminal justice system is a vestige of slavery, with Black children being five times as likely to be incarcerated as their white peers, despite similar rates of risky behavior. Instead of spending millions of taxpayer dollars building a new facility, we should be investing in our young people from the start, ensuring their success through quality public education, mental health supports, and community-based needs.