Vera Institute of Justice

Mustafa Ali-Smith is a program analyst with Vera’s Reshaping Prosecution program, working primarily with the Motion for Justice (MFJ) campaign. He urges prosecutors to understand their role in fueling mass incarceration and its disproportionate impact on communities. To build solutions, Mustafa researches policies, from restorative justice measures to diversion programs, intended to keep individuals out of the criminal legal system and shrink the reach of the carceral state. Before joining Vera, he worked with the Juvenile Law Center (JLC), where he advocated for the rights of youth in the child welfare and justice systems. He has been active with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), organizing city-wide social justice conferences and advocating for the rights of oppressed communities, from addressing food and housing insecurities to expanding voting rights. Mustafa continues to center community organizations and activists in his approach to driving change within and outside the criminal legal system. He received his MA with concentrations in criminal justice, education, and race from the University of Pennsylvania and his BSc in public administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.