Restore the Pell Grant Symposium

For decades, the United States has seen rising prison populations at both the state and federal level. As we face the unsustainable costs of mass incarceration, mandatory minimums, and persistent disparities in arrests and conviction rates under discriminatory policies such as Stop & Frisk, community members and leaders across the nation have sought new answers to persistent issues within our criminal justice system.

OpenDoors and the Education from the Inside Out Coalition advocate for the removal of barriers to successful reintegration that face currently and formerly incarcerated students. As part of this effort, we aim to reform laws that prevent incarcerated students from accessing Pell Grants and other need-based aid for college courses inside of correctional facilities.

OpenDoors and the EIO Coaltion are proud to announce that we will host, along with other community organizations, a symposium entitled: Restore the Pell Grant

This discussion will convene experts, including formerly incarcerated students, to explore barriers to higher education for individuals with criminal justice involvement, and provide an opportunity for community members to engage with experts and share their own stories. After a performance by the Theater for Social Change, there will be short speeches by:

Dallas Pell, EIO Coalition Member
Vivian Nixon, Executive Director of College and Community Fellowship
Glenn Martin, Founder of JustLeadershipUSA
Robert Corrente, former US attorney
Brenda Dann-Messier, former Assistant Secretary at the US Department of Education
Noah Kilroy, Co-Founder of the Transcending Through Education Foundation

Remarks will be followed by a Q & A segment moderated by Roger Williams Law Professor Andrew Horwitz

The event will take place on Tuesday, September 16th from 6-8 PM at Brown University’s Macmillan Hall Starr
auditorium (Room 117)

Co-sponsors: OpenDoors, Education from the Inside Out Coalition, Rhode Island ACLU, Brown ACLU, Swearer Center for Public Service, College Unbound, Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights, Brown Democrats, Brown University Students for Sensible Drug Policy