A Tribute To Mr. Robert Blair

Editor's Note: Mr. Robert Blair was an incredible person and beloved by so many in Philadelphia and beyond. Mr. Blair was a pillar of his community who helped so many. Mr. Blair was also pivotal in bringing Participatory Defense to Philadelphia as part of the Best Outcomes hub, the first of multiple hubs in the city. We will greatly miss his leadership, his charisma and passion for community. And even more so, we will miss his presence in all of the Participatory Defense spaces that he contributed so much to. Below is a tribute written by DeVonte Douglass of the Best Outcomes Hub both about Mr. Blair's legacy and his meaningful relationship with him. One year since his passing on March 23rd, 2025, we remember Mr. Robert Blair.

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Mr. Robert Blair (Photo provided by DeVonte)

In August 2018, I went to a Participatory Defense meeting not knowing what to expect from it. I knew that a friend of mine had been accused of very serious charges and that this organization was going to help him with his case. That night I met a gentleman by the name of Robert Blair, and he was knowledgeable of the criminal justice system and had his own encounter with the legal system. He was coming up with game plans for other people's cases while navigating the legal system for a family member of his.

After coming to a few Participatory Defense meetings, one night after the Participatory Defense meeting concluded, he approached me with an Application Packet and told me to fill it out. He had seen all the potential that I had from my criminal justice background to my knowledge of the law. He said, “On Tuesday nights, I want you to facilitate meetings with Valarie Listman and Steve Austin”, who both were facilitators for Participatory Defense. He also said that Mothers In Charge was looking for a Victim Advocate for their Survivors of Homicide program. I accepted the positions that he offered me and began working for Mothers In Charge facilitating Participatory Defense and becoming a Victim Advocate. 

Mr. Blair would visit and help those incarcerated who were wrongfully convicted and try to help them overturn their convictions. He would meet with the incarcerated persons' attorneys and offer assistance with their cases, and he was able to help a few people get their convictions overturned. He made it his mission to help those incarcerated with financial assistance, legal assistance, prison conditions, and medical conditions. He was a proud member of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, which addresses inhumane conditions inside the prison. 

In October 2020, I was involved in a self-defense shooting while working for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. When the incident took place, I did not know what to do, especially knowing that I was under investigation for possible murder charges and that the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General was in a political battle with my boss, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Kranser. I moved into a hotel room for two months and a few weeks while staying in the hotel. I was told by Mr. Blair that it was time to get out of the hotel and get myself together. He said that “I needed to focus on trying to get into Law School and bettering my life because that I would make it through this tragedy.” 

Even though Mr. Blair was ill, he still went to the prisons/jails to visit those incarcerated to lend a hand. He still provided legal, financial support, and other support in regards to the prisons and jails. He could not stand by and watch the injustices of the Criminal Justice System fail another individual without providing his knowledge and support. 

Robert Blair was a family man, a community man, and a man who sought out justice for those incarcerated and not incarcerated.