A society cannot claim to value justice while permitting slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. Marcus Kelley’s film No Exception To The Promise exposes a truth many Americans never pay attention to: slavery was never fully abolished.
In 2025 DJC nominated Marcus Kelley (@_marcthebarber702) for @werepjustice’s 2025-2026 ambassador program to produce his short film No Exception To The Promise, a powerful documentary inspired by an Op-Ed he wrote designed to educate Michigan citizens on a truth too often hidden.
This month, we are thrilled to host an inaugural screening of No Exception to the Promise in his hometown of Pontiac, MI!
Marcus is the founder of The Change Up | Midnight Coalition, he seeks to make specific legislative changes in order to create justice for those who are systems-impacted; specifically he advocates for voting access rights for those with criminal records, and fights to end the involuntary servitude clause located in Michigan’s constitution.