Clayton founded Essie Justice Group in late 2014 based on the principle that developing strong bonds among women, or “building sisterhood,” can serve as a social justice strategy to empower female leaders. “Mass incarceration has isolated millions of women,” Clayton said. “Women who look just like my grandmother and my great-grandmother and who face very similar challenges, but who also have so much of the same reserves of strength, same wisdom, same inherent dedication to family.”