Faith Talks: Death Penalty Advocacy

Death Penalty Advocacy and Why You Should Care, with Cece Jones-Davis

In 2026, the United States federal government and 27 states still have the death penalty. Executions are a cruel and unusual form of punishment, and exorbitant racial disparities in the practice are undeniable. It leaves us wondering how to champion social justice and fight for people who have been overlooked.

In this episode of Faith Talks, host Jennifer R. Farmer discusses death penalty advocacy with Cece Jones-Davis, an award-winning faith leader, impact strategist, musician, and public theologian who works at the powerful intersection of faith, art, and social justice.

About Cece Jones-Davis

Cece Jones-Davis is an award-winning faith leader, impact strategist, musician, and public theologian who works at the powerful intersection of faith, art, and social justice. With a heart rooted in ministry and a voice that echoes across grassroots movements and national stages, she devotes her life to pointing people toward the All-Powerful and the least powerful.

For more than two decades, Cece has mobilized communities, advised campaigns, and partnered with cultural institutions and global brands to advance equity, compassion, and systemic change. From fighting for HIV/AIDS interventions and menstrual justice to leading national movements against the death penalty, her work spans both street-level action and high-level advocacy in policy, media, and government. She served in the Obama Administration under U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk and played a pivotal role as the founder of the #JusticeforJulius campaign, which successfully halted the execution of Julius Jones in Oklahoma just hours before his scheduled death in 2021. Most recently, Cece served as Special Advisor of Advocacy and Strategy to the White House for the #IStandWithRavi campaign, successfully advocating to the Biden Administration for a presidential pardon on behalf of beloved immigrant rights leader, Ravi Ragbir. These outcomes have only been achieved by a fraction of advocacy campaigns in U.S. history, and a testament to Cece’s leadership and the power of grassroots faith-based organizing against the odds.

Born and raised in Halifax County, Virginia—a region marked by both the legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the painful history of enslavement—Cece’s upbringing informs her unwavering commitment to dismantling systems of racial injustice and standing in solidarity with communities on the margins.

Her leadership and advocacy have garnered national acclaim, including an Emmy nomination for a televised conversation on racial reconciliation, the Change.org Changemaker of the Year Award, the Innocence Project’s Freedom and Justice Award, the Ella Jo Baker Human Rights Award from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, and Special Congressional Recognition for her civil rights work.

An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Cece is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She holds degrees and certificates from Howard University, Yale Divinity School, the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and Georgetown University, and was named an inaugural member of the Obama Foundation’s Leaders USA program.

Cece Jones-Davis is a prophetic voice for justice in this generation, embodying a rare blend of spiritual conviction, strategic vision, and deep love for humanity.