Michigan Liberation

What Michigan Liberation does

Michigan Liberation is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2018 and headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, operating under the legal name "Action for Liberation." Its mission is to end mass incarceration and transform the criminal legal system through community organizing, leadership development of directly impacted people, and coalition-based policy advocacy. The organization serves Black families and communities of color in Michigan who are disproportionately affected by policing, prosecution, and incarceration, with primary operational focus on Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties and stated intent to expand statewide. It is led by two Co-Executive Directors (Rai LaNier and Nicholas Buckingham) overseeing a staff of roughly a dozen members across organizing, communications, and operations.

The organization's service portfolio comprises interconnected advocacy campaigns and direct-service programs. The Bold Against Bail (BAB) campaign leads advocacy to end cash bail, while Care Not Criminalization (CNC), launched in 2021, addresses opioid-related harms and the criminalization of substance use and mental health. Direct-service programs include the Michigan Black Mama's Bail Out (held annually for four consecutive years, securing dozens of bailouts through grassroots-raised funds), expungement fairs that leverage Michigan's automatic record-clearing law, brake light clinics that address license-suspension-driven arrest cycles, court watching, and listening sessions. Narrative work is delivered through the "Respect the Roots" podcast and TV show, and a separately aligned subsidiary, Michigan Liberation Action Fund, conducts political action supporting progressive prosecutor candidates.

Michigan Liberation's revenue model is donation-based under its 501(c)(4) social welfare structure, with grassroots fundraising conducted via ActBlue; specific revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. No technology products are sold or licensed — the organization's "platform" is its statewide community network of directly impacted people, organizers, and coalition partners spanning the ideological spectrum (including ACLU and the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity). It has co-led bipartisan campaigns with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Chief Justice Bridget McCormack and contributed to Michigan enacting the most progressive automatic expungement law in the United States.

Name

Michigan Liberation

Legal name

Action for Liberation 501(c)(4)

Website

https://miliberation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Michigan Liberation is a Detroit-based statewide 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that runs campaigns and develops directly impacted leaders to end mass incarceration and reform Michigan's criminal legal system for Black families and communities of color.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grassroots Fundraising: As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, Michigan Liberation generates revenue through donations and grassroots fundraising campaigns. The organization has run successful bail-out campaigns that raised grassroots dollars resulting in dozens of bailouts, and accepts donations through platforms like ActBlue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Michigan Liberation is a statewide 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that runs campaigns and leadership development programs to end mass incarceration and transform the criminal legal system in Michigan. It delivers its work through named campaigns (Bold Against Bail, Care Not Criminalization), direct community programs (Michigan Black Mama's Bail Out, expungement fairs, brake light clinics, court watching), a podcast ("Respect the Roots"), coalition-driven policy advocacy with prosecutors, courts, and the legislature, and grassroots organizing infrastructure across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.

Product overview

Michigan Liberation is a statewide 501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on comprehensive criminal justice reform. The organization operates several interconnected programs including the Bold Against Bail (BAB) campaign to end cash bail, the Care Not Criminalization (CNC) campaign addressing substance use and mental health decriminalization, the Respect the Roots podcast for narrative building, and community programs such as the Michigan Black Mama's Bail Out, expungement fairs, and brake light clinics. The organization's work spans courts, prosecutors, policing, prisons, juvenile systems, re-entry, diversion programs, and parole reform across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Michigan Liberation Action Fund: Political action arm focused on supporting progressive candidates for prosecutor positions and other elected offices.
• Black Mother's Day Bail Out
• Bold Against Bail (BAB)
• Care Not Criminalization (CNC)
• Respect the Roots Podcast

Quantifiable outcome

• Prosecutor wins in four counties including Macomb, Oakland, and Washtenaw County through progressive prosecutor coalition
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACLUcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Michigan Liberation works alongside ACLU as part of a progressive coalition united for criminal justice reform in Michigan. The partnership represents rare bipartisan collaboration spanning from progressive ACLU to conservative Americans for Prosperity.
• Americans for ProsperitycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Koch-funded conservative group Americans for Prosperity has united with Michigan Liberation in rare bipartisan support for sweeping criminal justice reform. This coalition includes organizations from across the ideological spectrum.
• Doug DeVosminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Amway co-chairman Doug DeVos is mentioned as part of the bipartisan coalition supporting Michigan criminal justice reform legislation, working alongside progressive groups like Michigan Liberation.
• Coalition for Police Transparency and AccountabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichigan Liberation is part of the Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability which is seeking federal investigation of Detroit Police Department from the U.S. Department of Justice. The coalition submitted a formal memo to DOJ.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michigan-liberation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan Liberation