Be a part of the movement with JJ4Justice!
Amplifying awareness to impact social equity, justice, and opportunity.
Meet Jon-adrian "JJ" Velazquez
Motivational Speaker
Compassionate Consultant
Motivational Speaker
JJ specializes in storytelling, which stems from his passion to turn trauma into triumph and inspire others to convert obstacles into opportunities. He moderates panels, facilitates workshops, and gives talks designed to educate, motivate, and incite meaningful change. JJ's messages are heartfelt and filled with empathy.
Media Expert
Compassionate Consultant
Motivational Speaker
JJ provides media platforms with valuable context and rare insight fueled by personal experiences that helped him accumulate a deep and diverse knowledge base of criminogenic behavior, mass incarceration, and wrongful convictions. Decades of unjust imprisonment have led to valuable lessons about life, humanity, and survival.
Compassionate Consultant
Compassionate Consultant
Compassionate Consultant
As a compassionate consultant committed to justice, public safety, and our youth, JJ provides clients with the information and tools required to understand the complexities of the criminal legal system and at-risk communities. JJ approaches his work ethically to ensure his knowledge and expertise create meaningful changes that impact communities for generations to come.
Authentic Actor
Community Organizer
Compassionate Consultant
As an authentic actor, JJ is able to captivate audiences with his genuine emotional depth and sincerity. As shown in the movie, Sing Sing starring Colman Domingo, JJ seamlessly immerses himself into his role, bringing it to life with an unwavering commitment to his true self. JJ's talent lies in his ability to make audiences feel, believe, and empathize with the stories he tells.
Fashion Model
Community Organizer
Community Organizer
JJ is a male fashion model with a unique and inspiring story. Overcoming the challenges of a wrongful conviction, JJ has risen above adversity to become a powerful symbol of transformation and second chances. His striking presence in front of the camera serves as a testament to his resilience and determination. JJ embraces the power of reinvention and is a model for hope and redemption.
Community Organizer
Community Organizer
Community Organizer
JJ is a dedicated community organizer who channels his experiences into positive change. With a heart full of empathy and commitment to social justice, JJ works tirelessly to uplift his communities. Inviting people inside prisons on culture tours, he stands as a beacon of hope for humanity bringing people together, amplifying their voices, and creating a brighter future for all.
Listen to jj's podcasts
'Letters from Sing Sing': #1 on Apple Podcasts upon its debut
Wrongful Conviction Podcast with Jason Flom
Unjust & Unsolved with Maggie Freleng Podcast
Stand Together Podcast
We Are For Good Podcast
Rethink Community: The Podcast
Moments That Matter: A Collection of JJ4Justice's Most Powerful Speeches and Engagements
About JJ4Justice
JJ’s Background
JJ’s career as a criminal legal reform activist began in 1998, when he was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. He spent almost 24 years in NYS maximum security prisons assisting, educating, and mentoring incarcerated people and their families.
While incarcerated, he earned two degrees in behavioral science and became a certified paralegal. He was considered a “one-man innocent project,“ helping other wrongfully convicted individuals obtain freedom. JJ was an elected liaison between the prison population and administration, while working to help others obtain their college degrees in his capacity as a program assistant at Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison. As a leading light at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, he organized a delegation of leaders, and implemented several positive programs including CHOICES, which has served hundreds of children impacted by crime and incarceration.
JJ now serves his community locally as the Co-founder and Executive Director of Voices from Within based in New York, and nationally as the Program Director at the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice.
JJ’s Philosophy
JJ believes that everyone has the potential to achieve greatness. By tapping into their inner strengths and passions, individuals can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. With JJ's guidance, people are empowered to take action and live their best lives.
JJ’s Mission
JJ’s mission is to expose the ever-present harm caused by the lack of opportunities in urban communities, mass incarceration, and wrongful convictions. His goal is to create opportunities and pave pathways for healthier and safer communities to thrive both inside and outside of prisons.