Joel Castón is a living testament to redemption, resilience, and the power of purpose. As the first person in US history to win public office while incarcerated, Joel turned his personal transformation into a public mission—to serve, empower, and inspire. Following his groundbreaking election, he became the first formerly justice-impacted individual appointed to the D.C. Sentencing Commission, continuing his work to shape fair and equitable policies.
Joel is an administrator and facilitator of WAIVE (Wisely Advocating for Impartial Verdict Equality) in the juvenile facilities in the state of Maryland, in which he helps youth understand the Transfer of Jurisdiction procedure in place for young people who are charged as adults to remain in the juvenile system (thus, waived down). He educates, writes letters of support, and testifies in court, working with over 200 youths across two facilities, leveraging his personal story and often being the only supporter in court for them.
Together with other justice-involved colleagues who have been elected to public office, Joel is creating the Free to Lead initiative to encourage and train justice-involved people to run for public office. As a LegalShield Associate, he provides families with affordable and reliable legal protection. From legal advice and document review to will preparation and identity monitoring, he helps ensure people have the support they need when it matters most. To date, he has protected over 250 families and continues working to strengthen his communities through access to equal justice.