Cal State LA celebrates re-entry week giving inmates a second chance
The Brief
Cal State Los Angeles hosted a resource fair as part of "Second Chance Month" and "Reentry Week," highlighting its Prison Graduation Initiative, which supports formerly incarcerated individuals in earning college degrees.
A focus on life after prison. The month of April is "Second Chance Month," and this week marks national "Reentry Week." Cal State Los Angeles held a resource fair tied to the university's work on prison rehabilitation and its prison college degree program.
In attendance were professors, a judge, support organizations, and a number of men and women formerly incarcerated. Some were Cal State LA students or graduates.
The campus event was sponsored by Cal State LA's Prison Graduation Initiative. PGI is listed as the state's first in-person bachelor's degree program. It was founded by Cal State LA professor Dr. Bidhan Roy.
One current student was there in East LA in awe. Tyson Atlas had only been out of prison for 12 days after serving 18 years, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. His sentence was commuted by Governor Gavin Newsom. He's now finishing his degree on campus after starting it while incarcerated.
Also in attendance with a booth for the program he founded, The Prism Way, was Allen Burnett, who has a similar story of freedom. He was in the PGI first cohort and was a keynote speaker at the program's last graduation at the men's state prison in Lancaster.
PGI is described as fostering hope with transformation through education.
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Cal State LA celebrates re-entry week giving inmates a second chance
The Brief Cal State Los Angeles hosted a resource fair as part of "Second Chance Month" and "Reentry Week," highlighting its Prison Graduation Initiative, which supports formerly incarcerated individuals in earning college degrees. A focus on life after prison. The month of April is "Second Chance Month," and this week marks national "Reentry Week." Cal State Los Angeles held a resource fair tied to the university's work on prison rehabilitation and its prison college degree program. In attendance were professors, a judge, support organizations, and a number of men and women formerly incarcerated. Some were Cal State LA students or graduates. The campus event was sponsored by Cal State LA's Prison Graduation Initiative. PGI is listed as the state's first in-person bachelor's degree program. It was founded by Cal State LA professor Dr. Bidhan Roy. One current student was there in East LA in awe. Tyson Atlas had only been out of prison for 12 days after serving 18 years, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. His sentence was commuted by Governor Gavin Newsom. He's now finishing his degree on campus after starting it while incarcerated. Also in attendance with a booth for the program he founded, The Prism Way, was Allen Burnett, who has a similar story of freedom. He was in the PGI first cohort and was a keynote speaker at the program's last graduation at the men's state prison in Lancaster. PGI is described as fostering hope with transformation through education.
