Join Mural Arts Philadelphia and the Penn School of Social Policy & Practice’s Goldring Reentry Initiative on Saturday, May 6 at International House Philadelphia for Breaking Down Walls: From Prison to Power—an afternoon symposium about humanizing criminal justice systems.

This event is part of Voices, a Mural Arts project supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Hear the voices of people directly impacted by these systems and explore pathways from incarceration to activism. Connect with people and organizations during our resource fair. Then build a plan to respond to local criminal justice issues through dialogue and civic action!

This event will feature the Philadelphia premiere of Rikers: An American Jail, a PBS documentary from Bill Moyers that brings you face to face with men and women who have endured incarceration at Rikers Island. In addition, there will be a panel on reform issues within the county jail system, moderated by Baz Dreisinger, author of Incarceration Nations; a presentation from the Philadelphia Reentry Think Tank; and a keynote address by Shaka Senghor, author of Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in an American Prison, and a leading voice in criminal justice reform.

This event is free to the public. Refreshments will be provided.
Four CEUs can be offered to Pennsylvania Licensed Social Workers.  To request CEUs, email PennGRI@sp2.upenn.edu with their full name by April 28th.

Event Timeline

12:30–1 p.m.                      Check-in and resource fair

1 p.m.                                   Welcome from John L. Jackson, Dean of Penn’s  School of Social Policy & Practice and Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia

1:10–2 p.m.                        Philadelphia premiere screening of RIKERS: AN AMERICAN JAIL, a PBS documentary from Bill Moyers that brings you face to face with men and women who have endured incarceration at Rikers Island.

2:05–2:15 p.m.                  10-minute break

2:15–3 p.m.                        Panel with Bill Cobb, Donna Hylton, Khalil Cumberbatch (all of JustLeadership), Rikers film producer Rolake Bamgbose, and Ismael Nazario. Panel will focus on reform issues within the county jail system, including cash bail, length of detention pending trail and treatment of inmates while incarcerated. Moderated by Baz Dreisinger, author of Incarceration Nations.  Book will available for purchase and signing during breaks.

3–3:15 p.m.                        Break with refreshments

3:15–4 p.m.                        Presentation by the Philadelphia Reentry Think Tank, which connects formerly incarcerated people from across the city with the region’s top artists, civil rights lawyers, and other community experts to transform the stereotypes, social services, and policies that impact their lives, families, and communities.

4–4:10 p.m.                        10-minute break

4:10–4:50 p.m.                  Keynote address from Shaka Senghor, with short Q&A

For more information contact robyn.buseman@muralarts.org