Aswad Thomas

Aswad Thomas is the Vice President of the Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ), the National Director of ASJ’s flagship project, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ), and the author of The Stars Represent You and Me.

As an African American male and a surviving victim of gun violence, Aswad is well aware of the impacts of trauma and loss that many in communities across the country have experienced and continue to live with. Aswad has dedicated his life to organizing communities and helping to elevate the voices of those victims and their families through both state and federal policymaking debates.

Aswad's story has been featured in the New York Times, Time Magazine, NBC Nightly News, PBS, and he was named one of The Root’s 100 most influential African Americans in 2021. Aswad received a Master's of Social Work, with a concentration in Community Organizing from the University of Connecticut, and a B.A., in Business Management from Elms College.