This week’s Nonprofit Spotlight shines on Tiera Rainey, Executive Director of Tucson Bail Fund (TBF), a Black-led abolitionist revolving bail fund fighting to end the unjust criminalization of poverty and the practice of pretrial detention in Pima County through education, community organizing, and bail relief for predominately black, brown and indigenous communities who are unable to afford bail while they await trial.
TBF was established through a Black Lives Matter Tucson (BLM Tucson) “Mama’s Day Bailout” campaign in May of 2017. That campaign sought to raise money to free mothers in jail. It also helped to raise awareness about the inequities and immorality of using a cash bail system. The “Mama Day Bailout” was a success but it also helped illuminate the need for ongoing cash bail assistance initiatives here in Pima County. The Second Chance Bail Fund Coalition (made up of local lawyers, activists, and concerned citizens) was created to manage and facilitate the creation of Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund (TSCCBF) in late summer of 2017. In 2023 they updated their name to Tucson Bail Fund.
TBF is also on Instagram at @tucsonbailfund and linktr.ee.
