Ed Little represents Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ) in the State Capitol and among state policymakers and policy advocates across the state of California. Ed helps to lead CSJ’s development of an annual legislative policy agenda and legislative priorities and facilitate the organization’s analysis of policy developments and trends. Assists in leading and shepherding the organization’s legislative agenda.
Ed maintains effective relationships with the offices of state legislators, local community-based and elected leaders in key cities, counties, state corrections agencies, the California Governor, and others.
Ed is a leading policy professional in the justice movement with an extensive background in the areas of workforce development, reentry, and constitutional policing.
Ed has worked to pass transformative legislation regarding record clearance for those living with convictions and increasing support and resources for survivors of crime.
Ed helps to facilitate the development of the organization’s Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ) legislative agenda, train crime survivors in policy advocacy, and partner with the network to engage crime survivors in policy advocacy and legislative advocacy work. Ensure that CSSJ is visible in the State Capitol and instrumental in policy makers’ understanding of crime survivor issues.
Ed helps to facilitate the development of the organization’s TimeDone legislative agenda, train people living with convictions in legislative advocacy. Ensure that TimeDone is visible in the State Capitol and instrumental in policy makers’ understanding of justice issues.
Ed has also worked with Ohio’s General Assembly to develop comprehensive legislation addressing the legal system, reentry policy and collateral consequences.
Ed served as a consultant to Cuyahoga County, Department of Justice Affairs to assist with the creation, strategic planning, and establishment of the first Office of Reentry in the State of Ohio.
Ed is a founding member and Co-Chair of the Collaborative for a Safe, Fair and Just Cleveland (CSFJC). The Collaborative helped to develop the comprehensive reforms outlined in Cleveland’s Consent Decree with the US Department of Justice. Ed continued to work with Cleveland Police Commission (CPC) and the Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) to develop policies for Search & Seizure, Community Problem Oriented Policing, and the Community & Police Mediation Program.
Ed has also lobbied extensively in Washington, D.C. as a leading advocate for change in areas such as ending drug disparities and advocating for increased second chance funding for state and local governments and community-based organizations.
Ed is dedicated to being a strong advocate for change and serving as a powerful voice for justice and ending mass criminalization and victimization of marginalized people in California and across the country. Ed currently lives in Sacramento, California.
