La Paloma Prisoner is a theatre project by Raquel Almaƶ�n about the reclamation of identity by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in the prison system. Developed from her longstanding work with incarcerated and impacted communities, the play will have its World Premiere at Next Door @ New York Theatre Workshop in spring 2020, alongside a series of initiatives aimed at raising awareness and inciting action towards the end of global mass incarceration. The project includes programs designed to uplift the voices and narratives of current and formerly incarcerated women-identified folx of color through workshops in prisons, conversation circles, a mini symposium, and panel discussions leading up to the production's scheduled run at NYTW in April.

Eddie Ellis was a visionary, serving as president of the Community Justice Center, Inc., an anti-crime research, education and advocacy organization.  He'd also founded and was president of the Brooklyn-based Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions. His daughter Greer works at the Center for Justice at Columbia University.

James Cavitt is the Housing and Outreach Coordinator for California State University, Fullerton, where he supports formerly incarcerated students during their course of study. Project Rebound constructs an alternative to the revolving door policy of mass incarceration in order to increase community strength and safety.

http://www.fullerton.edu/rebound/

James earned an Associate's Degree from Patten University through the Prison University Project at San Quentin. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2019 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Social Work at Cal State Long Beach. He is the recipient of the John Irwin Memorial Scholarship and the Epsilon Epsilon Scholarship. JC is committed to empowering those who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. He is passionate about restorative justice, criminal justice reform, and disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. 

The Rose M. Singer Center, nicknamed Rosie's, is the women's jail on Rikers Island and is among the top-12 worst jails in the country. WCJA's goal is to find a clear and quick path to close Rosie's and create positive change in the justice system.

https://womenscja.org/beyond-rosies/

Dr. Vanda Seward talks about recent updates in the field of criminal justice, including new legislation that affects those facing trial.

A discussion with leaders working to empower women who have been incarcerated.

The needs of women post-incarceration, primarily "a safe place to be," (housing) is paramount for getting and keeping a job, kicking a drug habit, escaping an abusive relationship and moving back into the community.

Guests: 

Donna Hylton, Author, A Little Piece of Light

https://www.donnahylton.com/

Roslyn Smith, VDay - An Incentive for Change

Tanya Smith, Co-Founder and President of Life Unbolted, Inc. Life Unbolted

Yolanda Johnson-Peterkin has been working to serve people with criminal justice histories for over a decade and is currently Chief of Housing Activities for the New York City Housing Authority.

NYCHA's Family Partnerships Department manages partnerships with external providers and City agencies offering youth, seniors and social services.  Family Partnerships connects residents to critical services and implements programs and policies that support household stability and tenancy, individual advancement, and aging-in-place. The Family Re-entry Program helps reunite select individuals leaving prison and jail with their families who live in qualified public housing apartments and provides the returning individual with re-entry services

Mr. Kevin Mays recently returned home from the criminal justice system and joins Dr. Seward to talk about his transition as well as the reconciliation program he created.

Shawn Rolfe is an expert on laws and other barriers former sex offenders face when reintegrating into society.

Tia is the Founder and CEO of State vs Us Magazine, State Vs Us Magazine, publishing content spotlighting high criminal profile cases and speaking up against corruption in the jail system, police departments and government.

https://www.statevsusmag.com/