Justice Education Month

Overview

Justice Education Week kicks off the celebration of our reentry awareness month that runs April 1st - 30th, 2025. The goal is to bring awareness to the crisis of incarceration, and its human impact, and build support for transformative educational movements in carceral settings and beyond.

4/1-4/30: Tech Driv, Weltmann Lobby During the month of April, we will be holding a tech drive inside the Weltmann Lobby in Pattee Library. Please drop off any unused technology to help support individuals returning home. 

4/1: Reentry and Higher Education Keynote with Divine Lipscomb & Ibrahim Rivera, 123 Chambers 6:00 pm-8:00 pm:  Join Divine Lipscomb for a keynote on reentry and higher education, highlighting barriers formerly incarcerated individuals face and pathways to success. Join us on Zoom!

4/8: Prison Education at Penn State: Past, Present, and Future Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library 4:00 pm: Join us for a panel commemorating Penn State's long history of prison education, now highlighted by a new degree program at SCI Benner. Explore how past efforts intersect with the challenges of mass incarceration and the importance of honoring this legacy. Join us on Zoom!

4/17: Reentry Simulation, Location: Dickinson Law Building 150 S College St, Carlisle, PA 8:30 am-1:30 pm:  Experience the challenges of reentry firsthand in this interactive simulation, gaining insight into the struggles formerly incarcerated individuals face.

4/19 & 4/20: Restorative Circles & Restorative Conference Training, Location: Chambers 221 9:00 am-4:00 pm: Join a two-day training on Restorative Circles, a transformative justice practice fostering dialogue and healing within communities.

4/21: State College Proclamation: Municipal Building 7:00 pm: State College Presents Proclamation Recognizing Penn State's Justice Education Month.  

4/22: Sing Sing Movie Screening & Panel, Location: Chambers 101 6:00 pm-8:30 pm: Watch an abridged selection from Sing Sing and join a panel discussion with JJ Velazquez and Dan Slepian on the realities of incarceration and justice reform. Join us on Zoom!

4/24: Dascha Polanco Beyond Prison Stories: Changing the Narrative on Justice and Education April 24th 6pm-7pm: Celebrated actress from Orange is the New Black and an Innocence Ambassador for the Innocence Project will be visiting Penn State to share her powerful journey. She will speak about her dedication to justice education and her ongoing advocacy for individuals impacted by the criminal justice system.

4/28: Restorative Justice Initiative Teaching/Volunteer Info Session, Location: Zoom 6:00 pm-7:00 pm: Learn how to get involved with RJI through teaching and volunteer opportunities supporting justice education and reentry efforts. Join us on Zoom!