EJP is accepting applications until Nov. 15, 2025 — Apply Here
Join us on Nov 19 for Raylan Gilford’s book launch and discussion on life after lockup — RSVP
This year, EJP’s Prison-to-Gown initiative has begun its research and exploration phases to provide support for people making the transition from incarceration to academic study on college campuses. The initiative operates from an understanding that most institutions for higher education are not geared to address the specific challenges that formerly incarcerated people face, and that…
Spankey Davis is the Senior Alumni Advocate for ConTextos, a Chicago non-profit that uses education and personal narrative to promote healing, reflection, and social change. In describing ConTextos, the non-profit where he works, EJP alumnus Spankey Davis says, “We are a harm reduction organization that uses art and literature as therapeutic tools to help young…
Fidelis Anyanegbu is a lawyer from Nigeria pursuing an LLM at the University of Illinois. During his year in the United States, he is working as a member of the office staff for EJP. In July of 2022, Fidelis Anyanegbu left his home in Anambra, Nigeria and boarded a plane headed for Illinois, which is…
Kevin McSweeney is the arboretum director at the University of Illinois and also teaches soil science classes on campus. He is going to be teaching with EJP in Spring 2024. In Spring of 2024, EJP will welcome Kevin McSweeney as a new instructor. Kevin studied environmental science at the University of Sheffield in the United…
Michael Harrell knows the exact number of days he was incarcerated: 20 years, 5 months, 4 weeks, and 3 days. Six months after his release, Michael is now a Reentry Case Manager at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation, a nonprofit restorative justice organization. He helps trauma-impacted individuals acquire basic documentation and achieve their goals. Some…
Higher education in prison experts Tim Barnett and Sharon Varallo presented at the Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force on May 5, 2022. Sharon Vallaro is the Executive Director of the Augustana Prison Education Program (APEP), which allows incarcerated individuals at East Moline Correctional Center the opportunity to earn bachelor’s degrees. Professor Vallaro emphasized…
Alejandro Sandria’s nervous excitement is palpable as his wife translates. He is the recipient of an EJP scholarship, awarded this spring to a formerly incarcerated individual residing in Mexico. These need-based scholarships provide support for further study at a secondary or post-secondary institution. Alejandro plans to use these funds to pursue his own personal study…
Keiahty Jones, EJP alumni incarcerated for almost 14 years, was able to go home in November. How would he summarize reentry? “It’s like walking on glass through a desert,” he said. Keiahty spoke about his experiences during prison and reentry as part of EJP’s 2022 Impact Week, which featured EJP alumni speaking to EJP supporters…
After being incarcerated for 22 years, one of David “Happy” Todd’s biggest challenges upon release was adjusting to his family and their way of living. Happy shared his reentry experiences with his family as part of EJP’s 2022 Impact Week, which featured EJP alumni speaking to small groups of EJP supporters via zoom. To them,…
As an organization committed not only to mitigating the negative impacts of incarceration but also to supporting more just and humane responses to harm and violence, many members of EJP strive to enact abolitionist values throughout the work that we do. Prison abolition is a multifaceted, complex subject that goes far beyond merely closing prisons….
