Thrive Under 25 (TU25) is a transformative coalition that uses advocacy, legislation, and public education to end the racist, damaging, and punitive responses of DC’s adult criminal legal system toward people who came in contact with the system when they were under 25.
Since 2019, TU25 has worked to address the needs of the court-involved emerging adult population in the District and aims to center the voices of those that are directly impacted. Thrive continuously develops new issue priorities based on the experiences of members who were or are currently incarcerated as young people to create safe and supportive communities for District youth and families without carceral systems.
Thrive Under 25 (TU25) has been instrumental in criminal legal system advocacy and reform efforts in the District such as the passage of the Second Look Amendment Act of 2019, an expansion of the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA). Second Look allows a person who committed a crime before the age of 25, and who has served a minimum of 15 years in prison, to apply to the DC Superior Court to have their sentence reviewed. In addition, TU25 continues to work to fully implement the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), uplift youth voices, create community healing, and advocate for the establishment of an Office of Emerging Adult Services (OEAS).
Thrive Under 25 Releases 2026 Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire
For the purpose of voter education, Thrive Under 25 conducted a questionnaire for the 2026 DC mayoral election. Thrive Under 25 invited mayoral candidates to share their vision for juvenile justice, reentry, facility conditions, and the relationship between DC and the federal government on public safety issues. This questionnaire was distributed to seven candidates: Yaida Ford, Janeese Lewis George, Gary Goodweather, Kenyan McDuffie, Talib Muhammad, Vincent Orange, and Hope Solomon. Four candidates responded.
Click here to read the 2026 Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire Responses
Thrive Under 25 Member Organizations
Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop
The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth
The Council for Court Excellence
DC Justice Lab
More Than Our Crimes
Neighbors for Justice
Open City Advocates
Peace for DC
School Justice Project
The Second Look Project
The Sentencing Project
Voices for a Second Chance
Voices Unbarred
If you are interested in becoming a member of Thrive Under 25 please contact Emily Daly at emily@freemindsbookclub.org.