Tide Shift Turnout
Come turn out for justice!
Tide Shift Turnout is Tide Shift Justice Project’s annual gathering bringing together criminal legal reform advocates, community leaders, organizers, and changemakers from across Delaware. Join us for an exciting evening as we reflect on the work we’ve accomplished and share what’s next! You’ll hear more about Tide Shift Justice Project’s work, connect with advocates from across the state, and find new ways to get involved in the fight to transform Delaware’s criminal legal system. Food and beverage will be served. RSVP here
Help us celebrate TSJP’s Shifty of The Year, Vonda “Smack” — Community Advocate, Organizer, Media Personality & Good Trouble Maker
Lovingly known as “The Mouth of Dover,” Vonda “Smack” is a fierce, unapologetic community advocate, organizer, media personality, and justice reform leader who has spent nearly 20 years refusing to be silent when her community needs a voice.
From government halls to neighborhood streets, Smack has built her reputation by showing up, speaking up, organizing people, and challenging systems that fail marginalized communities.
She currently serves as Chair of the Political Action Committee for the NAACP Central Delaware Branch, a Commissioner on the Delaware Human and Civil Rights Commission, and a Board Member of Peace Week Delaware. She also recently completed three years of service on the City of Dover Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee.
Professionally, Smack works with the ACLU of Delaware, organizing and advocating around criminal justice reform, racial disparities, civil liberties, public policy, and systemic change.
She is also Co-Founder of House of Peach, a women-centered nonprofit committed to amplifying women’s voices, stories, and lived experiences while creating spaces where women feel seen, heard, supported, empowered, and valued.
Her advocacy extends into media as Associate Editor of The R Report Magazine and Assistant Program Director for In Da Mix Radio, where she continues using her platform to amplify community voices and confront the issues others may be afraid to touch.
Smack’s fight is also deeply personal. Diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2022, she is a two-time survivor who is currently fighting Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Through chemotherapy, pain, procedures, and uncertainty, she has continued organizing, advocating, and making “good trouble.”
Through her Fight Like Smack initiative, she has turned her cancer journey into another form of advocacy—encouraging others to fight, speak up, get screened, and refuse to allow their diagnosis to erase their purpose.
For Smack, leadership is not about titles.
It is about showing up. Speaking truth. Building power. Opening doors. And shaking the table when necessary.
She is an organizer.
She is an advocate
She is a fighter.
She is a survivor.
She is a voice for her community.
They call her “The Mouth of Dover” for a reason—and she has absolutely no intention of getting quiet now.
State of Clean Slate
A Second Chances Month update on automated expungement in Delaware featuring:
Renata Kowalczyk, Wilmington Alliance
Alanna Farber, Office of Defense Services
Roxane Blake, Lived Experience Expert
Jasmine Minhas, Office of the Governor
Matt Rosen, Office of the Governor
And moderated by Kailyn Richards from Tide Shift Justice Project
When the Clean Slate Act passed in 2021, an estimated 290,000+ Delawareans with 590,000+ cases qualified for expungements under the Act. The law went into effect August 1, 2024 and from then through December 31, 2025, Delaware only cleared 26,601 charges for 2025 automatic expungements. At that rate, it would take Delaware over 20 years just to get through the backlog of expungement eligible cases that existed in 2021 when the law passed. Where does Delaware stand now? Join to find out.
The Reform Room: Talking Criminal Justice with Governor Meyer (virtual)
Join Tide Shift Justice Project on February 25, 2026 at 10 AM for a conversation on criminal justice reform in the first state. Click here to register.
Community Kickoff
We’re kicking things off and you’re invited! Join us for our Community Kickoff, a chance to connect, celebrate, and support TSJP’s mission. Registration is completely free, and if you’re able, you can make a donation at sign-up to help fuel our mission. Every contribution makes a difference, but most importantly, we’d love to see YOU there!
Police Reform Town Hall
This town hall creates space for residents to share their experiences with law enforcement. Community members will raise what’s working, call out what’s not, and shed light on issues that demand change. Together, we can push for accountability and transparency in policing. Registration is encouraged not required. Click here to register.
From Perception to Policy: Understanding Retail Crime in the First State (virtual)
Join us for a discussion exploring retail crime in the First State and how we can transform perception into policy. Experts from leading non-profits and the legal community will examine current trends, challenges, and potential solutions. RSVP here to receive a Zoom link the day before the event.
Police Reform Community Conversation & Panel Discussion
Join us for a panel and community discussion on the state of police reform — two years after the passage of House Bills 205 & 206. These laws were supposedly designed to bring greater transparency and accountability to policing in Delaware. But they haven't delivered on that promise. Let’s talk about what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what comes next. All are welcome! Refreshments will be served. Registration is encouraged, not required. Register here.
When: Thursday, August 7, 2025 from 6-7:30 PM
Where: Dover Public Library, Conference Rooms A/B, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover, DE 19901
Parking: There is ample free parking in the lot located behind the library.
Ex-Prisoner Lobby Day
Connect with legislators and urge them to support legislation that improves the lives of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. Your voice matters—help amplify the concerns of incarcerated individuals who cannot advocate for themselves. this event is sponsored by the Delaware Center for Justice, PIRCOD, Veterans Services, Tide Shift Justice Project, Home Team’s Chosen Ones, and many more!