Remembering Carl Hamad-Lipscombe
Carl was Envision Freedom’s exceptional executive director from 2021 until his untimely death in 2024. We miss him more than words can express. His strategic thinking, passionate advocacy, and lifelong activism will have a lasting impact on the fight to end detention, to protect the rights of asylum seekers and Black migrants, to end pretrial detention and close jails, and so much more.
Carl implored us to be generous with our time, expertise, and available resources because collective liberation requires all of us. When he was unable to give as much as he wanted due to his health challenges, he was heartened to know that this community would continue to show up and do the challenging, long-term work to transform our world and fight for freedom.
Envision Freedom Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. EIN 90-1014588. Envision Freedom Fund is committed to financial transparency. For a copy of our 990 and further details, please contact us at development@envisionfreedom.org.
Carl's Legacy at Envision Freedom
ADVOCACY
Envision Freedom and our partner African Communities Together successfully advocated for the passage of the Stop Immigration Bond Abuse Act (SIMBAA) in New York State. This first-of-its-kind legislation protects immigrants and their families from predatory for-profit bond companies that siphon money and freedom. Click the photo at the left to learn more about SIMBAA.
COMMUNITY
Envision's community membership program launched under Carl's leadership in 2023. This initiative is one of the nation’s first organizing efforts specifically devoted to building the collective power of individuals who were recently detained by ICE. In addition, Carl was proud that our award winning bond and post-release program grew to include a focus on wellness resources for communities recovering from the trauma of migration and detention. Click the photo at the left to learn more about our Home & Healing event.
VISION
Carl—named a Nonprofit Power Player in 2023 by AM New York and Politics NY—founded and hosted our podcast, Dismantling Injustice, which has produced dozens of episodes about abolition, organizing, and all the issues that impact people who encounter the criminal legal and immigration systems. Click Carl's photo at the left to listen to our podcast.