Past Events

Mississippi locks up more people than nearly any other state. What does that mean for residents in Jackson and beyond? The Marshall Project, a nonprofit newsroom focused on the US criminal justice system, recently opened in Jackson to answer this question and many others. We aim to shine a light on the most pressing criminal legal issues facing residents in the City with Soul and its neighboring counties. Join us on January 29, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. CST to hear from Marshall Project reporters and a panel of people affected by the system about the role investigative journalism can play in advancing criminal justice reform, and the vital role that local media plays in ensuring public accountability. Audience Q&A and refreshments to follow. The event is co-hosted by The MacArthur Justice Center, The University of Mississippi School of Law and The University of Mississippi Journalism School.

In partnership with ProPublica and NBC News. Last year, Louisiana state officials opened a high-security lockup for teenagers. These teenagers, some of whom had serious mental illness, were kept in solitary confinement round-the-clock and shackled when they were allowed to leave their cells. They did not receive court-ordered counseling, nor any education, in violation of state and federal law. A new ProPublica investigation, co-reported with The Marshall Project and NBC News, reveals deplorable conditions Louisiana teenagers endured at a secret, high-security facility known as the Acadiana Center for Youth at St. Martinville. In this event, we will discuss the factors that led to the creation of this facility, examine whether St. Martinville is part of a larger pattern in Louisiana’s history and the juvenile justice system nationally, and explore potential pathways to reform. Our speakers include: Gina Womack, Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children executive director Rachel Gassert, Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights policy director Mark Soler, Center for Children’s Law and Policy executive director Beth Schwartzapfel, The Marshall Project staff writer Erin Einhorn, NBC News reporter Annie Waldman, ProPublica reporter (moderator)

Journalists from The Marshall Project, working with Cleveland Documenters, recently published a report exploring the lopsided outcomes in Cuyahoga County’s court system. What we found: Black county residents are arrested and sent to prison at disproportionate rates. And voting patterns have resulted in mostly White judges deciding the guilt or innocence of the county’s mostly Black defendants. Want to learn more about our findings — and what they mean for you and your community — in a low-key Zoom call? Join the journalists behind Testify to discuss what court data can and can’t tell us about the county’s criminal justice system. Rachel Dissell, Wesley Lowery, Anna Flagg, and Ilica Mahajan, the lead reporters on the project, will be available to answer your questions, along with data editor David Eads and product director Elan Kiderman Ullendorff. We also want to hear about your experiences with the court.

Journalists from The Marshall Project, working with Cleveland Documenters, recently published a report exploring the lopsided outcomes in Cuyahoga County’s court system. What we found: Black county residents are arrested and sent to prison at disproportionate rates. And voting patterns have resulted in mostly White judges deciding the guilt or innocence of the county’s mostly Black defendants. Want to learn more about our findings — and what they mean for you and your community — in a low-key Zoom call? Join the journalists behind Testify to discuss what court data can and can’t tell us about the county’s criminal justice system. Rachel Dissell, Wesley Lowery, Anna Flagg, and Ilica Mahajan, the lead reporters on the project, will be available to answer your questions, along with data editor David Eads and product director Elan Kiderman Ullendorff. We also want to hear about your experiences with the court.

Join Aperture and The Marshall Project for a conversation between artist Nigel Poor and poet Reginald Dwayne Betts, celebrating the launch of the book The San Quentin Project (Aperture, 2021). In 2011, Poor began teaching a history of photography class through the Prison University Project (now called Mount Tamalpais College) at San Quentin State Prison, California. Soon, Poor began incorporating images from thousands of negatives from the prison’s vast archive into her visual studies exercises. From the banal to the brutal, to distinct moments of respite, the pictures in this archive gave those who were involved in the project the opportunity to share their stories and reflections on incarceration. In this discussion, moderated by The Marshall Project’s Lawrence Bartley, Poor and Betts reflect on the importance and impact of both the project and the prison archive. The Marshall Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about criminal justice in the United States. Their goal is to make an impact on the criminal justice system with their journalism, rendering it more fair, effective, transparent and humane. Nigel Poor is a San Francisco Bay Area–based visual artist and professor of photography at California State University, Sacramento. In 2011, she began volunteering at the Prison University Project (now called Mount Tamalpais College) at San Quentin State Prison. In 2017, Poor cocreated the podcast Ear Hustle with Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, who were both incarcerated at San Quentin at the time. Her work has been featured in Aperture magazine’s Spring 2018 issue, “Prison Nation,” and in the New York Times. Lawrence Bartley is the director of News Inside, the print publication of the Marshall Project, distributed in hundreds of prisons and jails throughout the United States. He is an accomplished public speaker and has provided multimedia content for CNN, PBS, NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, and more. News Inside is recipient of the 2020 Izzy Award for outstanding achievement in independent media. Bartley is also the host and co-creator of Inside Story, a new video series from The Marshall Project available in prisons and jails across the country. Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, memoirist, and teacher. Formerly incarcerated, he is now a lawyer and author of several award-winning books, including Felon: Poems (2019) and A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison (2010). Betts is currently pursuing a PhD in law at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, and he recently launched the Million Book Project. Image: Powwow, n.d., mapped by George Mesro Coles-El; from The San Quentin Project (Aperture, 2021). © George Mesro Coles-El, courtesy Aperture. Archival image courtesy San Quentin State Prison

In this webinar, you will examine the language that journalists use while covering justice, jails and prisons. The discussion will be led by ethics experts at the Poynter Institute and feature panelists from The Marshall Project, a leader in reporting on prisons, jails and justice reform. The Marshall Project recently reviewed its own policies about how incarcerated people are described. Their findings will be published in an upcoming series called “The Language Project.” You will hear why The Marshall Project is choosing to mostly eliminate stigmatizing labels like “inmate,” “convict” and “felon” from their coverage, and is choosing more specific language such as “incarcerated person” or “in prison, awaiting trial” instead. This change may attract critics and cynics who point out that the alternatives require more words, or may appear to be “accommodating” to people who are accused of or convicted of crimes. And sometimes people serving time in prison themselves may use the very words that The Marshall Project suggests you reconsider. We will explore all of that, and more. The Marshall Project — which has been a leading voice in journalism covering COVID-19 behind bars, as well as policing, bail reform, the death penalty and many more issues relating to mass incarceration — will explain how they researched the language they use in their reporting. This seminar will help reporters, editors and newsrooms think more deeply about language choice when they engage in the critically important topics of justice reform, jails and prisons. Questions? If you need assistance, email info@poynter.org.

A panel discussion on Zoom of Tutwiler, a documentary by The Marshall Project and FRONTLINE (PBS) offering a powerful window into the lives of incarcerated women who are expecting a child. Beginning at 7 p.m. CT, AL.com reporter Abbey Crain will moderate the panel, which will include Marshall Project reporter and producer Alysia Santo, filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon and Chauntel Norris of the Alabama Prison Birth Project. Tutwiler is produced by FRONTLINE PBS and The Marshall Project with Requisite Media and will be broadcast May 19 on America ReFramed.

Reckon by AL.com will host a Facebook watch party beginning at 7 p.m. CT for Tutwiler, a documentary short by The Marshall Project and FRONTLINE (PBS) on what it is like to be an expectant mother in Alabama’s Julia Tutwiler Prison, and the doula program trying to help these women prepare for birth. Tutwiler is produced by FRONTLINE PBS and The Marshall Project with Requisite Media and will broadcast May 19 on America ReFramed. www.facebook.com/ReckonAL

This event has been postponed to Fall 2020. A new date will be announced at a later time. A screening and discussion of Tutwiler, a documentary by The Marshall Project and FRONTLINE (PBS) offering a powerful window into the lives of incarcerated women who are expecting a child. The film will be shown, followed by a discussion about issues faced by incarcerated pregnant women and what happens to their newborns. The panel discussion will be moderated by Joan Harrell, a lecturer and Diversity Coordinator in the School of Communication and Journalism, Auburn University. Other panelists will include reporter and producer Alysia Santo and filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon; Ashley Lovell, program director of the Alabama Prison Birth Project and Wendy Williams, deputy commissioner, Alabama Department of Corrections. The School of Communication and Journalism and the Women’s Studies Department at Auburn University are co-hosting the screening. Tutwiler is produced by FRONTLINE PBS and The Marshall Project with Requisite Media and will broadcast on America ReFramed.

This event has been postponed to Fall 2020. A new date will be announced at a later time. A screening and discussion of Tutwiler, a documentary by The Marshall Project and FRONTLINE (PBS) offering a powerful window into the lives of incarcerated women who are expecting a child. The film will be shown, followed by a panel discussion about issues faced by incarcerated pregnant women and what happens to their newborns. The panel discussion will include reporter and producer Alysia Santo and filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon; Ashley Lovell, program director of the Alabama Prison Birth Project, and Wendy Williams, deputy commissioner, Alabama Department of Corrections. Tutwiler is produced by FRONTLINE PBS and The Marshall Project with Requisite Media and will broadcast on America ReFramed.

This event has been postponed to Fall 2020. A new date will be announced at a later time. A screening and discussion of Tutwiler, a documentary by The Marshall Project and FRONTLINE (PBS) offering a powerful window into the lives of incarcerated women who are expecting a child. The film will be shown, followed by a discussion with doulas from the Alabama Prison Birth Project about issues faced by incarcerated pregnant women and what happens to their newborns. Tutwiler is produced by FRONTLINE PBS and The Marshall Project with Requisite Media and will broadcast on America ReFramed.

Members of The Marshall Project are able to reserve seats for this event. All other seating will be granted on basis of arrival. If you are a member of The Marshall Project and would like to reserve your spot, please email our membership manager, AJ Pflanzer, at ajp@themarshallproject.org. As part of the Tenement Museum's acclaimed Tenement Talk series, join us for a free panel discussion exploring the history of the United States’ immigrant detention policy, and how it brought us to where we are today. More than 52,000 immigrants and refugees are currently detained in facilities across the United States. Some see immigrant detention as a deterrent and the enforcement of law and order. To others, it’s a human rights crisis that puts up inhumane barriers to migrants seeking safety and opportunity. Join this panel of experts to discuss the history of immigrant detention, how and why detention policies have expanded over time, the impact on migrants (including rising numbers of children) and communities, and the work being done to address current issues. Panelists include: Emily Kassie, Director of Visual Projects, The Marshall Project Julia Preston, Contributing Writer, The Marshall Project Nancy Hiemstra, Stony Brook University, author of Detain and Deport: The Chaotic Immigration Enforcement Regime Amelia Marritz, Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow, staff attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services Want to learn more before attending? Check out The Marshall Project’s newest digital interactive project, Detained, which looks at immigrant detention in the US and how evolving policies of the past 40 years have created a system of civil detention.

A screening and panel discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a panel discussion with Andy Berman, Lisa Daniels, Channyn Lynne Parker and Risa Lanier, moderated by Carroll Bogert, president of The Marshall Project. Additional media sponsors: WBEZ, The Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a panel discussion moderated by the Chicago Reader's Maya Dukmasova with Witnesses Lisa Daniels, Julie Anderson and Andy Berman. Additional media sponsors: WBEZ, The Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a panel discussion with the Witnesses. Additional media sponsors: WBEZ, The Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

For the first time ever, a group of leaders who were formerly incarcerated, their families, and others who experienced firsthand our nation’s defective criminal justice system, will host and be the audience for a town hall with 2020 Democratic presidential candidates on October 28, 2019 in Philadelphia. The Justice Votes 2020 Town Hall will be held at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site — a former prison that was once the most famous and expensive in the world. Developed by Voters Organized to Educate, and presented by the Marshall Project, the day-long event will be live-streamed by exclusive digital streaming partner NowThis News. The program will give unprecedented voice to people whose lives have been disrupted by targeted policing, disproportionate sentencing schemes, racial profiling and other injustices. Confirmed candidates include Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Cory Booker and Tom Steyer. Voters Organized moderators include Daryl Atkinson (Advisory Board Member), Norris Henderson (Founder and Executive Director), Deanna Hoskins (Advisory Board Member) and Vivian D. Nixon (Advisory Board Member). Organized by Voters Organized To Educate and presented by The Marshall Project, NowThis News, and the Eastern State Penitentiary Museum. Program details at www.votetownhall.org. Media must be credentialed for this event. Please contact Courtney Holsworth at cholsworth@rabengroup.com for more information.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a panel discussion with the Witnesses. The panelists include: Lisa Daniels, mother of a murdered son Karli Butler, acid attack survivor Maggie Bowman, co-director of We Are Witnesses Stacy Robinson, co-director of We Are Witnesses Additional media sponsors: WBEZ, The Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a panel discussion with the Witnesses moderated by Charles Preston of Injustice Watch. The panelists include: Channyn Lynne Parker, advocate in Cook County jail Bill Dorsh, retired CPD officer who testified against wrongful convictions Risa Lanier, chief of criminal prosecution for the office of Kim Foxx Maggie Bowman, Director of We Are Witnesses Additional media sponsors: WBEZ, The Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a panel discussion with the Witnesses moderated by Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project. The panelists include: Julie Anderson, son imprisoned for a murder committed at age 15 Kenneth Strong, justice-involved youth Celia Colon, imprisoned at young age Dr. Nneka Jones Tapia, Leader in Residence at Chicago Beyond, Former Warden of Cook County Jail, clinical psychologist Additional media sponsors: WBEZ, The Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

A screening and discussion of We Are Witnesses: Chicago, the latest installment of The Marshall Project’s Emmy-nominated film series We Are Witnesses and a part of Illinois Humanities’ Envisioning Justice initiative across the city. A selection of films from the new installment will be shown, followed by a community discussion on the films and the nature of crime, punishment, justice and forgiveness in Chicago. We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

“What’s the Story?” is a monthly speaker series hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how to create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. This series will feature a conversation with Maya Moore, Michael Rubin and Clinton Yates, moderated by Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project. Maya Moore is a former WNBA Rookie of the Year, league MVP and a five-time All-Star. Michael Rubin is a co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, and founding partner of the Reform Alliance. Clinton Yates is a columnist, commentator and host for ESPN’s The Undefeated. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation.

The Marshall Project presents the launch of We Are Witnesses: Chicago. A selection of films from the new series will be shown, followed by a panel discussion with the Witnesses moderated by Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project. The panelists include: Cleopatra and Nathaniel PendletonCarrie Steiner Xavier McElrath-BeyDr. Nneka Jones Tapia Additional media sponsors: WBEZ, The Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago We Are Witnesses: Chicago is produced by The Marshall Project in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities. We Are Witnesses is directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson.

“What’s the Story?” is a monthly speaker series, hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how to create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. This series will feature a conversation with Yusef Salaam, LynNell Hancock and Norris West. Yusef Salaam is a member of the Exonerated Five, depicted in Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us.” LynNell Hancock is a former New York Daily News reporter. Norris West is the Director of Strategic Communications at the Annie E. Casey Foundation and a former journalist with The Baltimore Sun. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation.

“What’s the Story?” is a monthly speaker series, hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how to create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. This series will feature a conversation between Ken Frazier, Genevieve Martin and Jeff Korzenik, moderated by Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project. Ken Frazier is Chairman and CEO of Merck & Co. Genevieve Martin is the Executive Director of Dave's Killer Bread Foundation. Jeff Korzenik is Chief Investment Strategist and Senior Vice President at Fifth Third Bank. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation.

“We Are Witnesses: Becoming an American,” is a powerful short film series that explores what it means to be an immigrant in America today. At this event four of these compelling interviews will be screened, followed by a panel discussion with featured witnesses and the director, moderated by The Marshall Project”s President, Carroll Bogert. In beautifully composed, direct-to-camera testimonies, the films take a deeper look at asylum seekers, advocates, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, the documented and the undocumented. The series offers a 21st-century narrative of American immigration that depicts the struggle and humanity of its participants. This program is a partnership with the Tenement Museum.

“What’s the Story?” is a monthly speaker series, hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how to create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. This series will feature a conversation between Congressman Doug Collins, Rev. Gabriel Salguero and Rev. Aundreia Alexander, moderated by Justin George, Washington, D.C. correspondent for The Marshall Project. Congressman Doug Collins is the U.S. Representative for Georgia’s Ninth Congressional District, Ranking Member of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary and a U.S. Air Force Reserve Chaplain. Rev. Gabriel Salguero is President and Founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, a coalition of several thousand evangelical congregations in the United States. Rev. Aundreia Alexander is the Associate General Secretary for Joint Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace for the National Council of Churches. Lunch will be served. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation

The Marshall Project, in partnership with Newsy, goes beyond the headlines in “We Are Witnesses: Becoming an American,” a series of short films that explore what it means to be an immigrant in America today. Four of these compelling interviews will be screened, followed by a panel discussion with director Jenny Carchman and Witnesses Zaid Nagi, a Yemeni-American immigrant, and immigration lawyer Lee Wang, moderated by The Marshall Project’s president, Carroll Bogert. In twelve beautifully composed, direct-to-camera testimonies, “We Are Witnesses: Becoming an American” takes a deeper look at asylum seekers, advocates, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, the documented and the undocumented, offering a 21st-century narrative of American immigration that depicts the struggle and humanity of its participants. A family’s father is deported to Ecuador after living in New York City for 20 years. A Russian-born lesbian flees persecution in her home country to become an American citizen. A South Korean student makes the difficult decision to live in the shadows of society after triggering the revocation of his own visa. A former acting director of ICE describes how his opinions on deportation changed after taking on the role. A Honduran-born teen swims across a river under a dark sky to make it to America. "'We Are Witnesses: Becoming an American' offers a realistic, humanizing view of immigration in America," Neil Barsky, founder of The Marshall Project and executive producer of “We Are Witnesses: Becoming an American." "Our hope is that by letting people tell their own stories, the series will help reclaim the narrative, and remind us of the courage and patriotism of millions around the world striving to become American citizens."

“What’s the Story?” is a monthly speaker series, hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how to create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. This series will feature a conversation between Michael K. Williams, dream hampton and Rashad Robinson, moderated by Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project. Michael K Williams is an Emmy-nominated actor and producer best known for his work on "The Wire", "Boardwalk Empire" and "The Night Of," and for the HBO documentary "Raised in the System." dream hampton is a writer and filmmaker whose recent series "Surviving R. Kelly" transformed the national conversation around the R&B star. Rashad Robinson is President of Color Of Change, a leading racial justice organization, and has led the organization in developing cutting-edge strategies to change the representation of Black people and social issues in news and entertainment media. A reception will follow this event. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation.

“What’s the Story?” is a monthly speaker series, hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how to create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. This series will feature a conversation between Tayari Jones, Piper Kerman and David Simon. Moderated by Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project. Best-selling novelist Tayari Jones is the author of "An American Marriage," which explores the devastating impact of a false conviction on a family and community. David Simon is a journalist, author, and the creative force behind multiple acclaimed television shows including The Wire, Homicide: Life On The Street, and the Deuce. Piper Kerman is the bestselling author of "Orange is the New Black," and teaches writing in two state prisons with Otterbein University. Lunch will be served. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation.

“What’s the Story?” is a new monthly speaker series, hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how to create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. This series will feature a conversation between Celinda Lake, Khalil Cumberbatch and Michael Baselice. Moderated by Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project. Celinda Lake is the President of Lake Research Partners and one of the Democratic Party's leading political strategists. Khalil Cumberbatch is the Associate Vice President of Policy at the Fortune Society. In December 2014, after being held for five months in immigration detention, he was one of two recipients to receive an Executive Pardon from NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo to prevent his deportation from the United States. Michael Baselice is President and CEO of Baselice & Associates, Inc. and specializes in consulting for Republican candidate races. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation. Lunch will be served.

Join the Marshall Project—a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization focused on criminal justice—for a short screening of a selection from their video series, We Are Witnesses. Each video tells the story of 19 people familiar with the criminal justice system: the formerly incarcerated, their families, judges, parole officers, and more. Stay for a conversation moderated by moderated by Jamilah King, staff journalist at Mother Jones Magazine, writing on race, gender, and culture with film subject Ayana Thomas, director Jenny Carchman, and the president of The Marshall Project Carroll Bogert. The Wing is a network of work and community spaces designed for women. Its mission is the professional, civic, social, and economic advancement of women through community.

You’re invited to join The Marshall Project in Boston on October 23 for a Membership Happy Hour. Bring a friend to meet fellow members and fans of The Marshall Project, as well as some of our staff and reporters. Current members of The Marshall Project and those interested in becoming members are welcome. The first round of drinks is on us and light snacks will be served. For more information and to RSVP: apflanzer@themarshallproject

"We Are Witnesses” is a series of powerful short films that explores the human cost of the criminal justice system through 1st- person testimonials of victims, parolees, ex- prisoners, judges, police officers, and prison guards. Created by The Marshall Project, the award-winning, nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that focuses on crime and punishment in the United States, “We Are Witnesses” is as much a celebration of human strength as it is a searing examination of a broken system. Join us for a screening of three of the series films and a panel discussion with their subjects moderated by Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott, with an introduction from The Marshall Project’s Lawrence Bartley, a native of Jamaica, Queens who recently completed a 27-year prison sentence. Admission is free.

Join Power of Narrative and The Marshall Project for a screening and panel discussion of "We are Witnesses," a collection of 19 video stories from people who have had firsthand experience with the American criminal justice system. To RSVP for this free event, contact jodept@bu.edu.

Please join us for a conversation centering the experiences of people intimately familiar with the United States criminal legal system. Taking a human rights-based approach, this event rests on the premise that bearing witness to the harms caused by the racism, inequality, and unfairness of this system is a necessary prerequisite to addressing them. The event will feature a series of short film interviews with people directly touched by the system; a moderated conversation with some of the film’s interviewees; and an audience Q & A. Light refreshments will be served. This event is organized by The Marshall Project in collaboration with NYU School of Law’s Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law and Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. Panelists: Deborah Popowski, Executive Director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice Neil Barsky , Chairman and Founder, The Marshall Project; Vincent Southerland, Executive Director of NYU Law's Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law Amanda David, Assistant federal defender, the Federal Defenders of New York, Inc. Eduardo Padro, Former Supreme Court, New York County Judge Francis Greenburger, President & Founder, Greenburger Center for Social and Criminal Justice

“What’s the Story?” is a new monthly speaker series, hosted by The Marshall Project, featuring prominent Americans as they explore how they create and disrupt narratives around criminal justice. The series' first breakfast convening will feature Sherrilyn Ifill in conversation with Grover Norquist. Moderated by Bill Keller, Editor of The Marshall Project, and featuring an introduction by Weldon Angelos. Sherrilyn Ifill is the President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Grover Norquist is the is president of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), and also advocates for criminal justice reform. Weldon Angelos is a justice reform advocate based in Salt Lake City. He served 12 years of a 55-year sentence for selling small amounts of marijuana. The series is sponsored by the Public Welfare Foundation.

One of the Central Park Five, Yusef Salaam, joins Carroll Bogert, President of The Marshall Project, and local criminal justice reform advocates, for a compelling dialogue regarding the restoration of human rights post-incarceration and the impact incarceration has on mental and emotional health, lifelong earning potential, and relationships. In partnership the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the event is free and open to the public. Dr. Yusef Salaam On April 19, 1989, a young woman in the prime of her life was brutally raped and left for dead in New York City’s Central Park. Five boys—four black and one Latino—were tried and convicted of the crime in a frenzied case that rocked the city. They became known collectively as “The Central Park Five.” Their convictions were vacated in 2002 after spending between seven and thirteen years of their lives behind bars. The unidentified DNA in the Central Park Jogger Case, unlinked to any of the five, had finally met its owner, a convicted murderer and rapist who confessed. The convictions of the boys, now men, were overturned and they were exonerated. One of those boys, Yusef Salaam, was just 15 years old when his life was upended and changed forever. Since his release, Yusef has committed himself to advocating and educating people on the issues of false confessions, police brutality and misconduct, press ethics and bias, race and law, and the disparities in America’s criminal justice system. In 2013, documentarians Ken and Sarah Burns released the film “The Central Park Five,” which told of this travesty from the perspective of Yusef and his cohorts. In 2014, The Central Park Five received a multi-million dollar settlement from the city of New York for its grievous injustice against them. Yusef was awarded an Honorary Doctorate that same year and received the President's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 from President Barack Obama. Carroll Bogert Carroll was previously deputy executive director at Human Rights Watch, running its award-winning global media operations. Before joining Human Rights Watch in 1998, Carroll spent twelve years as a foreign correspondent for Newsweek in China, Southeast Asia, and the Soviet Union.

From class to court? A system that finds more and more school-age children wrapped prematurely in our flawed criminal justice system continues to plague the United States. Please join Texas Observer Civil Rights Reporter Michael Barajas, Marshall Project reporter Eli Hagar, and WNYC’s Kai Wright for a discussion about the school-to-prison pipeline moderated by The Appeal’s Sarah Leonard. The conversation will take place on September 17, 2018, at the New School’s Starr Foundation Hall, Room UL102, 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y., 10003. It is free and open to the public.

In partnership with TOPIC, Appolition, and the San Francisco Film Society, join us for an exclusive screening of The Work—an award-winning documentary that takes you inside Folsom prison where a select group of incarcerated men participate in emotionally intensive group therapy to better understand themselves, and their capacity for transformation. The screening is at 6:30 PM, and is followed by a filmmaker panel discussion and reception.

Over the past two decades the politics of law and order in New York City have changed dramatically. Where once candidates for office vied to appear the toughest on crime, they now compete to carry the banner of reform. Join The Marshall Project contributing writer Tom Robbins, author Kim Phillips-Fein, and law enforcement professional Edwin Raymond to examine how NYC’s widening inequality will impact crime and whether the rhetoric of criminal justice reform matches the reality in the city. The discussion will be led by Carroll Bogert, president of The Marshall Project.

In the 1970’s, President Nixon declared a “War On Drugs.” Billions of dollars have since been spent, millions of people incarcerated, and nearly forty years later, we are still no closer to a solution. This so-called war disproportionately targets, prosecutes and incarcerates people of color. Here in New York, more than 80 percent of those arrested for marijuana are black or Latino, despite similar rates of use among white people, and today, the city is seeing a rise in opioid use and an alarming increase in drug overdoses. Join us on May 23rd for Whose War On Drugs? A #BHeard Town Hall. We’ll bring together stakeholders, thought leaders and Brooklyn’s communities to truly challenge the idea behind America's longest-running war, asking: Who benefits from this war? How can we begin to reverse the collateral damage to our communities? And how do we bridge the gap between public health and the criminal justice system?

The American criminal justice system consists of 2.2 million people behind bars, plus tens of millions of family members, corrections and police officers, parolees, victims of crime, judges, prosecutors and defenders. In We Are Witnesses, we hear their stories. This event featured a screening of 4 of the short films in the We are Witnesses series, followed by a panel discussion and reception. Speakers included Jenny Carchman (director), Ismael Nazario (Fortune Society), Scott Hechinger (Brooklyn Defender Services), Kathy Boudin (Center for Justice at Columbia).

The Marshall Project’s “We Are Witnesses” explores the American criminal-justice system through interviews with those whose lives have been touched by it. Watch four videos from the project and then hear from the subjects in person. Featuring: Eduardo Padro, New York State Supreme Court judge (retired) Sergeant Edwin Raymond, law enforcement professional Scott Hechinger, Brooklyn Defender Services Jennifer Gonnerman (moderator), staff writer at The New Yorker

The American criminal justice system consists of 2.2 million people behind bars, plus tens of millions of family members, corrections, and police officers, parolees, victims of crime, judges, prosecutors, and defenders. The Bronx Documentary Center and The Marshall Project are proud to present a video exploration and discussion of this timely subject. Jenny Carchman will present a collection of short videos from the Marshall Project’s "We Are Witnesses", a video exploration of our criminal justice system. The video series features twenty people telling their stories — a crime victim, a corrections officer, a judge, a formerly incarcerated woman, a parent, a child, a district attorney and more. Joseph Rodriguez, acclaimed photographer and author of Juvenile, will present work from his multimedia project on reentry in Los Angeles. Rodriguez’s project focuses on residents of Walden House, a drug and alcohol transitional treatment center that has been operating in California for over 40 years. Walden House has various residential and outpatient facilities throughout California, including in-custody treatment programs and services for people transitioning back into their communities. Jenny Carchman's "We Are Witnesses" takes a deeper look at the faces behind the complex and highly-flawed criminal justice system. For his project “Reentry in Los Angeles” documentary photographer Joseph Rodríguez worked with Walden House to produce photographs and interviews of its residents. During his time there, he witnessed various programs set-up to help residents recover and change their lives.

Mental health is one of the nation’s most pressing societal issues. Every year, one in five New Yorkers will experience a range of mental health challenges, from depression and anxiety to PTSD and schizophrenia. Every day, people deemed mentally ill are jailed against their will, denied due process in the justice system, and priced out of access to quality treatment. New York City is taking steps towards changing the culture and treatment around mental health, yet we still see persistent discrimination and stigma, especially in Brooklyn's communities of color. On Dec. 13, BRIC TV, in partnership with The Marshall Project and Brooklyn Community Services, brought together the voices of those who struggle with mental health, those who treat mental illness, and those on the front lines of securing mental health as a civil right for all. The Brooklyn Poetry Slam team opened the event with a special performance.

"We Are Witnesses," a series of short films from The Marshall Project and The New Yorker, presents a rare 360-degree portrait of the state of justice in New York City, where people who've had first-hand experiences of crime, policing, and prison tell their stories. In celebration of its premiere, join us for a screening and discussion on surviving the system, the most pressing issues in criminal justice, and the prospects for reform.

In 2016, the Obama administration declared that the federal government would begin phasing out the use of private, for-profit prisons in the justice system. This move came in response to a Justice Department report that showed private prisons did not save money and were less safe than public facilities. In early 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded this decision. Today, the debate continues: Should the American criminal justice system include private, for-profit entities? Or should the prison system at the state and federal levels be run by the government? Join our panelists for a conversation about the state of the American criminal justice system and private prisons. Mother Jones senior reporter Shane Bauer, who reported on his four-month stint as a private prison guard, will share his experience and insights from inside a private prison. Alysia Santo, a staff reporter at the Marshall Project, a nonprofit outlet that features journalism on criminal justice reform, recently exposed the deadly conditions on board a private prisoner transportation van. Joanne Woodford, former warden of San Quentin State Prison and former undersecretary for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, will offer her perspective from decades of experience within the criminal justice system.