Community Defense of East Tennessee

Community Defense of East Tennessee is a grassroots, community-based organization dedicated to ending mass incarceration. Together with families, we are committed to fostering education, liberation, support, and empowerment, while actively confronting injustices and advocating for equity, social change, and restoration. Our central goal is to dismantle the prison pipeline and shift our communities away from punitive models that prioritize punishment, towards more compassionate approaches that prioritize healing individuals and communities alike. We strive to create systems that facilitate restoration, healing, and transformation. Through comprehensive education, support, and community training in various facets of social justice, we believe we can break the perpetual cycle of harm within our community.