According to UNICEF estimates, almost 250,000 children and youth are incarcerated globally, including 21,000 in North America. Many more have incarcerated parents or family members. Join us for a discussion of the many ways in which the criminal legal system affects youth and children across the world, and the people and organizations that are working to support them, advocate for their rights, and build pathways toward justice, healing, and opportunity.

Join us for a powerful global conversation featuring:

Nicole Loonstyn Building Bonds Through Books
Personally impacted by familial incarceration, Nicole works to reduce stigma and support families navigating the criminal legal system—including parents trying to stay connected to their children from behind bars.

Megan Comfort – RTI International
A leading sociologist and author of Doing Time Together, Megan has spent decades researching how incarceration reshapes families and what it takes to promote justice and wellbeing for those left behind.

Franco Ruz Segura – Volver a Casa (Chile)
Once incarcerated himself, Franco now leads education workshops in prisons and juvenile justice centers across Chile, proving that transformation is possible and higher education should be accessible—even behind bars.

Katrian Clarke – Stand Up for Jamaica
Katrian teaches accounting in correctional centers and coordinates programs empowering incarcerated individuals with skills and hope, believing education can break cycles of stigma and poverty.

Lerato Kossie Waves for Change (South Africa)
After his own incarceration became a turning point, Lerato founded a youth movement focused on mental health and leadership, and now supports coaches working with marginalized youth across Cape Town.

Why attend?

-Hear directly from those with lived experience—people who've been inside the system and are now transforming it

-Understand the global scope of youth and family incarceration across four continents

-Discover innovative programs creating real change in the U.S., Chile, Jamaica, and South Africa

The Petey Greene Program presents Going Greene, our Annual Awareness Week and Benefit for Educational Justice. Going Greene brings together and celebrates our students, volunteers, donors, staff, community, and other individuals who have played a significant role in furthering our mission of supporting the academic and career goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people through high-quality tutoring and other educational program.

We hosted our 4th Annual 5K for Education Justice on April 6 in the DMV Area and on April 12 in Boston, Philadelphia, and Princeton and it was a smash hit! Thank you to all of the runners, walkers, volunteers, staff, and supporters that made this event possible in across our regions. We already can’t wait for next year for our 5th Annual 5K!

Join us in the DMV area on Sunday, April 6th at 1:00 PM EST for our 4th Annual 5K Run/Walk for Education Justice! This is a family-friendly run/walk with strollers and young runners welcome as well as leashed furry friends at no additional cost. With every step we take, we will demonstrate that everyone deserves a chance, that we cannot discount anyone, and that we are responsible for each other.

You can view the race map here.

Join the Petey Greene Program for a conversation with organizers working at the intersection of ecology and prison justice. From building gardens on the inside to mapping environmental hazards, movements are working to address the ecological crises of mass incarceration.

Presented in collaboration with Incarceration Nations, join the Petey Greene Program’s Puttkammer Center for Educational Justice and Equity staff and the Global Freedom Fellows for a conversation on the global landscape of reentry and mass incarceration.

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Presented in collaboration with Incarceration Nations, join the Petey Greene Program’s Puttkammer Center for Educational Justice and Equity staff and the Global Freedom Fellows for a conversation on the global landscape of education and mass incarceration.

MISSED THIS WEBINAR? WATCH AND SHARE THE RECORDING!

The Petey Greene Program is proud to be an official charity partner of New York Road Runners for the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon! The iconic course runs through all of New York City’s boroughs and we’re thrilled that the PGP will be represented on this impactful and celebratory day. Through this partnership, we are able to provide runners with the opportunity to make their 26.2 miles meaningful and support the academic goals of currently and formerly incarcerated learners through high-quality volunteer tutoring and other educational programming. 

We have a team of six runners. Please support The Petey Greene Program and help our runners reach their $3,000 goal by donating to their fundraising pages. Even a small donation will help achieve their goal! The process is fast, easy, and secure. Thanks so much for your support.

Join the Petey Greene Program for a dive into the barriers and challenges that people with disabilities might face while navigating the criminal legal system and mass incarceration. We were joined by leaders in the field who are doing the work to improve their experiences and spread awareness of what faces people with differing abilities in these settings.

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Going Greene, the Petey Greene Program’s annual fundraiser, brings together our students, volunteers, staff, community, and other individuals who have played a significant role in furthering our mission of supporting the academic and career goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people through high-quality tutoring and other educational programs. 

This year, we are gathering with and recognizing leaders in sports who have made criminal justice reform one of their key philanthropic goals. Sports have a unique ability to transcend boundaries, bring people together and highlight our common humanity while offering opportunities to people beyond what they may have thought was initially possible. In celebration of both the power of sports and education, we will be honoring Larry Miller, the Chairman of the Jordan Brand, for his commitment to activism based on his personal experiences through the criminal legal system. 

Get your tickets now for an interactive evening including:

• Mingling with the Petey Greene Program community 

• Silent auction with sports memorabilia

• Panel discussion with Larry Miller, Chairman of Jordan Brand 

• Program spotlights

• Sports-themed activities 

• Delectable cuisine, music, and fun

• Dress code: Business casual 

Join the PGP’s Puttkammer Center for Education Justice and Equity and the Global Freedom Fellows to hear how incarcerated and system-impacted people around the world are organizing to fight for their rights and foster a more equitable access to legal counsel and support, reimagining justice from behind the walls.

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Join the PGP staff and volunteers as we walk in the 2024 Princeton PRIDE Parade. We will also be tabling after the parade. Come out and show your solidarity!

Petey Greene Reunions Event: “Tell Your Story”
May 24 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Frist Campus Center, North Arcade
The Giving Tent will be a networking opportunity for alumni to reconnect with fellow volunteers and the Petey Greene Program staff! We would love to hear about your volunteer experience and how it impacted your career or life journey. Come network with staff, current volunteers, and the Princeton community while adding your artistic flare to a mural created by incarcerated students at SCI-Chester. For those who didn't have the opportunity to volunteer with us yet, visit our tent to learn about our program and the importance of our service work. 

From Prison to College and Beyond: Advocating for Educational Justice and Systemic Change in Carceral Spaces
May 24 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
McCosh Hall, Room 28
Moderator: Chiara Benetollo *21, executive director, Puttkammer Center for Educational Justice and Equity, The Petey Greene Program. Panelists: R.L. Goldberg *21, instructional specialist, Prison Teaching Initiative; Jill Stockwell *17, associate director, Prison Teaching Initiative.

There are more people incarcerated in the United States than in any other country, and the U.S. also has the highest incarceration rates in the world. Black and Latinx people are disproportionately affected by mass incarceration: Black people are incarcerated at six times the rate of Whites. According to the most recent available data, 30% of those who are incarcerated do not have a high school diploma or GED, and only 5% have a college degree. Education not only is essential to disrupt the cycle of incarceration, but it also helps create spaces of freedom that are not dominated by carceral logics inside prisons and jails. This panel will bring together representatives from the leadership of the Prison Teaching Initiative (PTI) and the Petey Greene Program (PGP), two Princeton-based organizations that support the academic goals of incarcerated learners, offering college-level courses, tutoring, and college readiness programs inside state and federal correctional facilities in New Jersey and across the northeastern US. Building on their experience designing and implementing academic programs in correctional facilities, the panelists will discuss recent policy and legislative changes that have the potential to dramatically expand access to education in prison, while reflecting on the many challenges that still stand in the way.

Key to Change: Unlocking Housing Opportunities for Returning Citizens
May 24 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
McCosh Hall, Room 28
Moderator: Jeff Abramowitz, CEO, The Petey Greene Program. Panelists: Yusuf Dahl *17, CEO, The Century Promise; Carl Gershenson, director, The Eviction Lab, Princeton; Nicholas Kikis, vice president, legislative and regulatory affairs, New Jersey Apartment Association; Madeleine Marr ’21, legislative assistant, Office of Senator John Fetterman

Housing denials, not because of present circumstances but because of a past mistake —sometimes decades ago—is the harsh reality for countless justice-impacted individuals seeking housing today. It’s an unfortunate truth that those who have paid their debt to society often find themselves locked out, with homelessness rates among them nearly ten times higher than that of the general population. Please join us for a thought-provoking discussion as our panel of experts uses the short film “Backgrounded” to launch a discussion on how past incarceration remains a barrier to housing and opportunity long after reentry into society and provides a roadmap on how landlords, advocates, and policymakers can work together on a path forward.

Join us in Boston, Philadelphia, Princeton, or virtually on Saturday, April 13th at 1:00 PM EST for our 3rd Annual 5K Run/Walk for Education Justice! This is a family-friendly run/walk with strollers and young runners welcome as well as leashed furry friends at no additional cost. Only runners over 16 need to purchase a ticket. This event will be held rain or shine. There is no rain date.

With every step we take, we will demonstrate that everyone deserves a chance, that we cannot discount anyone, and that we are responsible for each other. 

In connection with our upcoming 3rd Annual 5K Run/Walk for Educational Justice, we are hosting a Justice Education Series webinar on nutrition and health inside correctional spaces. We hope you will join us for what will be a great conversation!

The first webinar of the Petey Greene Program's Spring 2024 Justice Education Series was presented by the Puttkammer Center for Educational Justice and Equity. In "Beyond the US: Incarceration and Educational Justice Across the World," we took a global look at other countries’ carceral systems, discussed trends in incarceration and heard from organizations that foster educational justice across the world.

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LGBTQ+ people are overrepresented in our country's prisons and jails. In this Justice Education series webinar, we spoke with justice-impacted people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. They shared their experiences and offered advice on how we can become better allies and advocates in this space.

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Going Greene: The Art of Educational Justice celebrates the intersection of the creative and performing arts with educational justice and personal achievement. Join us on Saturday, November 18th from 7:00 - 10:00 PM, either in person at WHYY in Philadelphia or virtually. We will be honoring Jane Golden and Mural Arts Philadelphia for their contributions to art and educational justice. We are also looking forward to highlighting artists and community organizations who are active in this space.

Get your tickets now for an interactive evening including a community art project, an art auction, awards, and spotlights along with delectable cuisine, music, and fun with the PGP community.

Silent Art Auction

Visit our silent art auction and place bids on our unique collection of local art with many works created by currently and formerly incarcerated artists. Funds will be split equally to support the artists and PGP's direct services. You don't have to attend the event to participate in the art auction. 

We will gather in Boston, Princeton, and virtually on Saturday, October 28th at 1:00 PM EST for our 2nd annual 5K Run/Walk for Education Justice! This is a family-friendly run/walk with strollers and young runners welcome as well as leashed furry friends at no additional cost. Only runners over 16 need to purchase a ticket. This event will be held rain or shine. There is no rain date.

With every step we take, we will demonstrate that everyone deserves a chance, that we cannot discount anyone, and that we are responsible for each other. 

Did you miss our webinar? Watch and share!

In celebration of our 2nd annual 5K Run/Walk for Education Justice, Petey Greene Program trustee and Explorer CEO, Cason Crane speaks with Markelle "the Gazelle" Taylor of the documentary, 26.2 to Life: The San Quentin Prison Marathon and Wylie Belasik of UliftU about the importance of physical fitness as a skill and outlet for people in prison and reentry.

People in our prisons and jails are more likely to have complex medical challenges such as substance use disorders, mental health problems, diabetes, HIV, and other conditions. However, healthcare can be difficult to access in the carceral setting and when it is available, is often low-quality or confusing for patients to navigate. In this conversation, we spoke with individuals and organizations leading efforts to improve healthcare options for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people and learned how we can better advocate for improved health outcomes for these vulnerable populations.

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In celebration of our upcoming 2nd Annual 5K Run/Walk for Education Justice on October 28, 2023 at 1 PM, Petey Greene Program trustee and Explorer CEO, Cason Crane speaks with Markelle "the Gazelle" Taylor of the documentary, 26.2 to Life: The San Quentin Prison Marathon and Wylie Belasik of UliftU about the importance of physical fitness as a skill and outlet for people in prison and reentry.

Missed this webinar? Watch and share the recording!

Art can serve as a powerful outlet for people navigating the criminal legal system, incarceration, or reentry. During this webinar, we explored how art can be a form of healing, liberation, humanity, and more. Join the Petey Greene Program and justice-impacted artists and advocates for a panel discussion on their experiences and work accompanied by an art showcase.

Sentenced to a Wisconsin prison at 18, Yusuf Dahl MPA *18, deliberately decided not to let his past dictate his future. Following his release, he created over 200 affordable housing units in his native Milwaukee and he received an advanced degree from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. 

While a graduate student at Princeton, Yusuf became a tutor in prison classrooms with the Petey Greene Program (PGP). Although he was incensed by what was considered acceptable education inside the walls, he was encouraged by how the presence of Princeton volunteers changed outcomes and, ultimately, the lives of incarcerated students. He went on to serve as the Chair of the Board of the PGP. Currently, he is advocating for legislative change to a feature of the Fair Housing Act which discriminates against formerly incarcerated people. Yusuf is joined by Udi Ofer, the John L. Weinberg Professor and Lecturer in Public International Affairs and a former trustee of the PGP. He is the Founder of the Policy Advocacy Clinic at PU. The Clinic offers students an experiential learning opportunity in policy-making and advocacy. Completing the panel is Jeffrey Abramowitz, CEO of the PGP, who will discuss the future of the organization as it celebrates its 15th Anniversary. Join us for a stimulating conversation and to be uplifted by how these transformational initiatives founded at PU are creating a better world.

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Cited by President Eisgruber as a magnificent example of Princeton in service of humanity, the Petey Greene Program is now the most extensive prison and reentry tutoring program in the country, providing free quality tutoring, an essential element in the academic success of incarcerated people. Petey Greene implemented its first program in New Jersey, recruiting Princeton students to tutor in a single youth corrections facility; it is now active in 7 states recruiting, training, and coordinating hundreds of college students.

Please join us for a celebratory breakfast on Friday, May 26th at the Louis A. Simpson 171 Atrium as we recognize the fifteenth Anniversary of '58's, 50th reunion class project, and the extraordinary members who have made a positive difference in the lives of currently and formerly incarcerated individuals and a profound impact on college student volunteers, many of whom have gone on to careers promoting social justice.

All are welcome!

When the PGP launched our HBCU Forward Initiative in 2021, we argued that our efforts to recruit, elevate, and support Black volunteer tutors were important because those most harmed by the criminal legal system, should be the ones leading efforts to change it. For this webinar we highlighted the educational justice work of four Black-led student organizations from three Historically Black Colleges. While many college students are aware of the system that funnels people from defunded schools and communities to incarceration, these student organizations are trying to do something about it. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, WE INVITE YOU TO WATCH THE RECORDING

As part of our theory of change, the PGP believes that we cannot discount anyone, and that everyone deserves access to education. But as we began discussing last spring, women and girls are left out of conversations about educational justice for currently and formerly incarcerated people, even though incarceration rates for women have increased sevenfold since the early 1980s.  Black women and girls are especially treated as what education justice advocate Kimberly Haven calls correctional afterthoughts. This is the case, despite their disproportionate criminalization and incarceration in the United States.

In this webinar, we explored this exclusion by learning about how Black women and girls became societal afterthoughts and victims of domestic, carceral, and anti-Black violence.  In conversation with Black feminist historian Dr. Treva B. Lindsey, author of America, Goddam: Violence, Black Women, And The Struggle For Justice (2022), we grappled with the history of violence and criminalization of Black women and girls while also learning of their strivings for justice. PGP volunteer tutors, Virginia Union University, and the broader concerned community, ended this webinar with an expanded vision of educational justice by looking at the roots of injustice towards Black women and girls.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, WE INVITE YOU TO WATCH THE RECORDING

Join the Petey Greene Program on Monday, March 27 at 6PM EST for a screening of "Art and Krimes By Krimes," followed by a panel with New Jersey regional staff from the Petey Greene Program.

While serving a six-year sentence in federal prison, artist Jesse Krimes secretly creates monumental works of art - including an astonishing 40-foot mural made with prison bed sheets, hair gel, and newspaper. He smuggles out each panel piece-by-piece with the help of fellow artists, only seeing the mural in totality upon coming home. As Jesse's work captures the art world's attention, he struggles to adjust to life outside, living with the threat that any misstep will trigger a life sentence. 

Two members of the Petey Greene team, Reginald Gaines and Een Jabriel, will join Jared Owens, a formerly incarcerated artist featured in the film, for a conversation about the film's themes of incarceration, reentry, human potential and more.

Not in the Princeton area or can't make it to the screening? You can stream "Art and Krimes By Krimes" online or attend another event.