A Magazine Hopes To Make Change Around Criminal Justice

Cover model for State versus Us Magazine
William Anderson
January 17, 2020

State v. Us is a self-published magazine that gives new voice to issues relating to the criminal justice system. As a publication, it hopes to speak up “against corruption in the jail system, police departments and government.” 

And the magazine’s founder knows about this in a very intimate way.

Baltimore, Maryland’s Tia Hamilton is behind the magazine. She had a run in with the criminal justice system herself and vowed to become a change agent for the greater good. 

Thanks to her own street savvy and ability to navigate different situations, she put that talent towards her own business model.

A recent profile of Hamilton noted that she started in 2017 and since then “has released four volumes with a fifth in progress, [working] hard to secure distribution in both correctional catalogs and the United States at large.” 

She’s got big plans outside the magazine, too.

Then there’s her bookstore Urban Reads, where she often highlights books by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated Black people. She said, “I created a space for Black authors to sell our books in the Black community,” and it shows!

In a city facing as much police corruption as Baltimore, what Tia is doing is really special. The best part is, she didn’t forget about her people in the process. Here’s to wishing her and everyone trying to help our community the greatest success!

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