Deconstructing the halo effect of racism and stereotypes | John Schimmel | TEDxDonovanCorrectional 2017
The Halo Effect describes the tendency of humans to judge and label others based on preconceived notions and unconscious biases. In this talk, John Schimmel deconstructs the Halo Effect and reveals how we can move beyond the harmful effects to embrace this family we call humanity as one. "Education is my passion. Pursuing my Associate Degree was my way of believing in myself. This gave me something to be proud of for the first time. It feels good to inspire others to do the same, especially for those who feel like there is no hope. I received four Associate Degrees here in prison in 3 ½ years. For the first time ever in my life, I see that I can be someone."
Redefining normal | Beto Vasquez | TEDxDonovanCorrectional 2017
Beto Vasquez is not normal. Or is he? What is normal, anyway? Experiences, culture, social norms, times and places all deeply influence what appears normal. Having run the full gamut of 'normality,' Beto has looked at normal from many angles. Join him as he explores the surprising implications of normality and how to redefine it. "I am currently finalizing my graduate studies at University of California, San Diego in biology. My background in the sciences has made me a champion for diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; while my incarceration and education have caused me to advocate for underserved and currently and formally incarcerated people in an effort to address barriers to success."
The power of "when" | Darnell Washington | TEDxSanQuentin 2016
An uncle's faith propelled Darnell Washington to college despite growing up in a gang environment. Hear how in prison Darnell uses positive belief and the power of "when" to transform lives Once Darnell entered prison he decided to turn his life around. He chose to walk away from a destructive lifestyle that was full of hurt, pain, and loss. In order to address his internal issues, Darnell would get involved with every self-help group that he could. While at San Quentin he would be drawn to the Restorative Justice Roundtable, largely because it dealt with the healing of victims, offenders, and their respective communities. He would also become interested in the social justice program The San Quentin Alliance for C.H.A.N.G.E., which teaches participants how different forms of justice can be applied to building a healthy and self-sustaining community. Darnell has become a leader and facilitator in both groups. His goal is to use his newly acquired knowledge to become a community activist and Motivational Speaker who educates and brings healing to the community.
Prisoners are college students | Tanya Erzen | TEDxWashingtonCorrectionsCenterforWomen 2015
Dr. Erzen believes that prison should be a place of departure and beginning. She passes her passion for education to those she encounters and instills a desire to apply learning to success. Tanya Erzen is an Associate Professor of Religion at University of Puget Sound and the executive director of the Freedom Education Project Puget Sound, a college program inside the Washington Corrections Center for Women. In 2014, she received a Soros Justice Fellowship from the Open Society Foundation to finish a book about religious programs in American prisons. She is the author of the books Straight to Jesus, Fanpire, and co-editor of Zero Tolerance.
Just sayin’ | Laurel Rayburn | TEDxWashingtonCorrectionsCenterforWomen 2015
My talk emerged out of my years of experience teaching college courses inside the prison. I address the assumption that so many hold about our students — that their status as “prisoners” is the most crucial aspect of their identities, arguing instead that we are misguided as long as we think of our students inside the prison as fundamentally different from our students on the outside. My vision for my students is that they be taken seriously as academics, that no one is to question them otherwise, and that their identities as students become a way for them to rupture the bounds of the selves they thought they knew. Laurel Rayburn received her doctorate in English from Brown University in 2012, where she completed a dissertation on 20th century American lyric poetry. She teaches academic writing for the Harvard Extension School and Freedom Education Project Puget Sound, a college program at the Washington Corrections Center for Women. She is also a dedicated yoga teacher and practitioner.
Transformation through education | Michael Tineo | TEDxSingSing 2014
Prison rehabilitation leads to healthy communities on the outside when men are released. Rehabilitation prevents crime. Let’s rebrand Sing Sing as the Healthy Community Maker. Michael Tineo is a patient and loving father, who is mindful of his actions. He tries his best to be of some benefit to others he encounters. He has big dreams, plays hard, and is deliberate in implementing the steps necessary to achieve his goals. Michael is proud of the relationship he has developed with his daughter, despite the hurdles created by his incarceration. This relationship has been a source of growth and fulfillment for himself and his daughter. He aspires to be a tremendous benefit to the world through influential and philanthropic efforts.
The institutions that change you | Piper Kerman | TEDxMuncyStatePrison 2014
“The Institutions that Change You,’’ Piper Kerman, author of the memoir, “Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison,’’ speaks about the importance of education to incarcerated individuals as an investment in rehabilitation. Ms. Kerman currently works as a communications consultant with nonprofit, philanthropies and other organizations. She is also a frequently invited speaker to students of law, criminology, gender and women's' studies, sociology and creative writing, as well as correctional organizations and justice reform.
Education and re-integration | Renford Reese | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014
Dr. Renford Reese has been a professor in the policitical science department at Cal Poly Pomona for 18 years. He is the author of five books including "Prison Race." Professor Reese is the Founder/Director of the Prison Education Project (PEP) and the Reintegration Academy for Parolees. With the assistance of 300 university volunteers, PEP provides academic programming to inmates in seven California state prisons.
Johnny Appleseed | James A. White, Jr. | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014
Jim is an incarcerated veteran who served in the US Marine Corps for six years as a helicopter crew-chief. He flew in Cuba, then combat flying in the Civil War of Santo Domingo (1965), and an extended tour in Vietnam. He then inter-service transferred into the Army as an officer, where he served as a helicopter pilot. He served in various airborne units while serving multi-tours in Vietnam, first flying Aero-Scouts and then Cobras for a classified operation. Jim is a disabled veteran from the Vietnam War. He has written and published books about his military service, including a well-received book "Laotian Highway Patrol," which is a historical novel based on his flying Cobras for MAC-V-SOG. Jim is a Life Member of the Special Operations Association, the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, and the Disabled American Veterans Association. He is the co-founder of the HMM-262 Helicopter (Vietnam) Association. He and his wife have four children.
Turning prisons into schools | John L. | TEDxMonroeCorrectionalComplex 2014
Amidst high incarceration and recidivism rates, John believes we can do better. His vision for transforming prisons into schools will challenge and inspire. John's mother and father would say he was a good kid. His siblings would affirm he's a great brother. His friends would declare he's loyal to a fault. Those who don't know him mention that he's deeply flawed, but those who know him well attest his flaws are outweighed by the depth of his character. He would say he's all of the above and so much more.
The scarlet "F" | Honey Jo Herman | TEDxMonroeCorrectionalComplex 2014
Honey Jo Herman presents a talk that examines the reality of an offender's life beyond being released, and how the stigma of being a felon can seep into all aspects of life. Honey Jo is honored to have worked with The IF Project since 2010 and Pioneer Human Services since 2013. She is motivated to share the story of her successful transition from prison back to her community as a means of inspiring others who are going through transitional periods of their lives. As the mother of four children, she is empathetic to the painful difficulties that incarcerated parents face when separated from their children. She is at her happiest when she sees others take steps to improve their lives and realize their potential.
A Montessori prison education | Brian Walsh | TEDxMonroeCorrectionalComplex 2014
Prison is one of the most un-fun places one can live and work. Preschools are all about fun. But both are about preparing people for the real world. Brian argues that we can unlock the future of prison education by relearning the lessons of preschool. Brian leads the offender education program for Peninsula College at two state prisons in the northwest corner of Washington state's Olympic Peninsula. As Associate Dean of Basic Skills and Corrections, Brian started the first prison-based Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (IBEST) program, a nationally recognized curriculum for adult education in Washington state. He began five new vocational programs including Sustainable Horticulture, Artisan Baking, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Green Building and Computer Programming and Development. In November 2013, Brian was recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change, one of "10 local heroes who are taking creative approaches in using technology to enhance learning for students in communities across the country."