Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez

Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez is an American actor and activist who exemplifies resilience and dedication to legal reform. Released in 2021 through executive clemency, JJ met with President Biden to discuss justice reform at the White House. During his incarceration, he led initiatives at Sing Sing, including organizing programs like Voices From Within, TEDx events, and advancing education through Hudson Link and Columbia University.

JJ’s advocacy expanded through projects like the Pulitzer Prize Finalist podcast Letters from Sing Sing, the book The Sing Sing Files, and the Emmy Award-winning MSNBC/NBC News Studios docuseries The Sing Sing Chronicles. His role in the Oscar-nominated A24 movie “Sing Sing” further amplified his voice on wrongful convictions.

After a 27-year battle with the legal system, JJ was exonerated on September 30, 2024, in Manhattan Supreme Court, marking one of the most impactful cases in U.S. history. His multifaceted efforts continue to drive meaningful change and amplify the voices of the marginalized. JJ now serves his community nationally as the Program Director at the  Frederick Douglass Project for Justice and locally as the Co-founder and Executive Director of Voices From Within, and CEO of Monumental Media based in New York.