James Anderson

James Anderson is a criminal justice reform activist, social entrepreneur, and co-founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, an organization dedicated to supporting formerly incarcerated individuals. Anderson's background includes personal experience with the juvenile justice system, which informs his work in criminal justice advocacy and reentry support. After his release from incarceration, Anderson focused on supporting others with similar experiences.

Anderson co-founded the Anti-Recidivism Coalition with Hollywood producer Scott Budnick, helping to establish it as a model for criminal justice reform. The organization serves as a support network for formerly incarcerated individuals and advocates for policy changes to reduce incarceration and improve reentry outcomes. Anderson graduated from UCLA with double honors while contributing to the organization's development. He and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition participated in a statewide coalition that advocated for Proposition 57, which shifted the authority to decide whether a person under 18 is tried as an adult from district attorneys to judges.

Anderson's advocacy includes speaking engagements at the White House and meetings with political officials, including President Barack Obama. He has spoken alongside John Legend in Sacramento on criminal justice reform and has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention by the Governor of California. Anderson has also served on the Executive Board for the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the Board of Directors for the John M. Lloyd Foundation, and the Advisory Board for the California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice.

In addition to his nonprofit work, Anderson has pursued social entrepreneurship in the corporate sector. After leaving the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, he focused on integrating social impact into business models. Anderson led the development of The Yerba Mate Co.'s social impact initiative to hire 10,000 system-affected individuals worldwide. He is also the co-founder of "Los Mayores," a Latin-owned and inspired streetwear brand.

Anderson has spoken nationally to raise awareness about youth involvement in delinquency and the importance of reentry programs. His experience as a formerly incarcerated individual, honors graduate, and advocate positions him as a credible voice in criminal justice reform and social entrepreneurship.