Published by New York Times
Arabella Guevara spent much of her adolescence paying for her mistakes.
She entered the juvenile justice system at 13, after she ran away from home for the first time, hoping to escape a volatile relationship with her mother. Before long, running away escalated to petty theft, then stealing cars and breaking into homes. It cost her nearly two years spent in and out of juvenile facilities, and many additional months still tied to the system through probation.
On Wednesday, February 15, Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D – Suisun City) hosted a press conference at the California State Capitol to announce the introduction of The End Slavery in California Act.
Alicia Garza’s name will go down in American history as being one of the three women, alongside Patrisse Cullors and Ayọ Tometi, who conceived of and popularized the slogan #BlackLivesMatter nearly 10 years ago in response to Trayvon Martin’s 2013 killing.
After spending her teenage years in and out of juvenile detention, Arabella Guevara was used to crowded conditions such as mattresses on the floor and girls triple-bunked in cells meant for two.
