November 2023 Newsletter
Our very first Going Greene event was a huge success. This year, our theme was "The Art of Educational Justice" where we highlighted the work of formerly incarcerated artists, including our two recipients of the Catalyst of Creativity Award, Mark Loughney and Suave Gonzalez. We also honored Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, with the Community Leadership Award for her years of dedication and profound impact on her city. I am so proud of the Petey Greene Program staff for making this event one that our in-person and virtual guests will soon not forget. If you missed the event, you can watch the full program here.
As I think back on the full house at Going Greene and look back on 2023, I am so grateful to everyone who works tirelessly to make the Petey Greene Program a leader in the correctional and reentry education arena. Special thanks to our volunteers, Board of Directors, staff, students, and donors. I hope that you will consider making an end-of-year contribution to the Petey Greene Program to keep us moving in the right direction. And remember it is not the amount of the gift but the mere act of giving that makes a difference.
Jeffrey Abramowitz, CEO, The Petey Greene Program
Register Now for Tonight's Webinar!
LGBTQ+ people are overrepresented in our country's prisons and jails but their specific experiences with the carceral system are less discussed and examined. We will be highlighting their stories in our TONIGHT'S Justice Education Series webinar, "LGBTQ+ Experiences and Identities in the Age of Mass Incarceration." We will be joined by advocates and justice-impacted people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community as they share their experiences and the work they do.
Our #GivingTuesday Recap!
Earlier this week on Giving Tuesday, thanks to our community and a generous donor that matched all of contributions made, we raised nearly $10,000 to support the academic goals of currently and formerly incarcerated learners! There is still time to make your donation before the end of 2023 to have your contribution matched and double your impact. We know that we cannot achieve this important work without your unwavering support, dedication, and generosity.
Join the Petey Greene Program Team!
Do you want to advance educational justice every day and increase your involvement with the PGP? In partnership with Villanova University, we are looking for a part-time College Bridge Coordinator. The PGP College Bridge Coordinator will be responsible for assisting PGP staff in recruiting and managing the College Bridge volunteers.
Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Kaitlyn Connors!
Meet Kaitlyn Connors, one of our dedicated volunteers who recently graduated from George Washington University, where she tutored with the Petey Greene Program for multiple semesters. She tutored both young people at Maya Angelou Academy and adults in the care of the D.C. Department of Corrections. "I just found it really rewarding and formed really great connections with the students. I feel like education is where a lot of change can happen. Those connections build progress, and I felt it was a meaningful way for me to contribute." She reflected on how the tutoring sessions often felt joyful when students made revelations on challenges they were working through. "We were going over multiplication and exponents, and we were figuring out ways to remember it, and all the sudden, it clicked. Everyone was having so much fun doing it, even. I loved seeing how math and learning could be fun." Given her academic background and interest in public health and science, she is hoping that the Petey Greene Program can expand its offerings into those fields. "Education is meant to be shared - I want to make knowledge accessible and that was something I was able to do with the PGP."
Photo of the Month!
At Going Greene, we created a community art piece by having our guests fill in a mural sketch created by incarcerated artists at State Correctional Institution Chester. The mural sketch was made on a painted bed sheet with illustrations and inspirational words added on. We are so glad we were able to honor the work of currently incarcerated artists in this way during our event!
Thanks to the generous support of donors like you, we continue to support the educational journeys of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people by providing the high-quality, individualized tutoring and academic support that every learner needs to achieve their educational goals. Please donate today.