Justice 4 Us Tournament Brings Community Together
The annual Justice 4 Us basketball tournament, held at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in North Minneapolis, brings together youth and families touched by incarceration for a day of sport, giveaways and shared meals.
Organized by the Wrongly Incarcerated Family Council (WIFC) together with men housed in Minnesota’s Earned Living Units, the event has run for three consecutive years, offering five‑on‑five games, backpack giveaways and food to participants.
Nakisha Armstrong, speaking on behalf of WIFC, says the tournament creates a stable environment where young people can connect with mentors and peers who understand the challenges of having a parent behind bars.
Coley Gates, a formerly incarcerated individual whose sentence was commuted, served as emcee, emphasizing the importance of positive spaces and mentorship for at‑risk youth.
From Stillwater prison, Deaunteze Bobo helped coordinate the tournament, using his platform to highlight the resilience of families affected by the criminal justice system and to advocate for the reversal of his own 2007 murder conviction.
The initiative also addresses the broader impact of incarceration: more than one in six Minnesota youth have an incarcerated parent, and two‑thirds of adults in the state’s jails are parents of minor children, many of whom were living with their children at the time of arrest.
Organizers stress that despite the constraints of incarceration, they remain committed to maintaining connections with families and players, demonstrating that community support can thrive even behind bars.
By showcasing new possibilities and reinforcing the strength of collective support, the tournament aims to inspire participants to make positive choices and stay engaged with supportive networks.