TATRO: You know, I think that we want to have as many opportunities open to people in prison as possible. Adjust the colors to reduce glare and give your eyes a break. Hold on. Like, that's who I am. By signing up for BPI emails, you are agreeing to receive news and updates from BPI. TATRO: Yeah. TATRO: Oh, I think that couldn't be further from the truth. We, you know, without quite realizing at the beginning, have ended up exploring this really deep question. In four years of study they become accomplished scholars, shatter stereotypes, reckon with their pasts, and prepare to return to society. And I think the answer is no. And you can learn grammar. DAVIES: Yeah. By Jamil Smith With so much at stake, BPI is doubling down on our commitments to national engagement in policy and practice including The BPI Summer Residency for emerging programs and practitioners. Few completed high school; most earned their GED in prison. I'm a math major, went on after that to do some project management and data collection for a tech company and then started thinking about how I could get back in the world. Both of you went into prison as teenagers and came out as young men. And one day, we went to a karaoke bar, and a fight erupted, and somebody ended up losing his life. Neither had been in a maximum security . I'm going to ask each of you to give me your first impressions here. Ken Burns is executive producer. I mean, both - from the documentary, it seems that both of you had supportive families. All rights reserved. And, you know, they're like, strip. NOVICK: Yeah. Incarcerated men and women in New York State are admitted to the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI), one of the most rigorous college programs in America. Men and women earn college degrees - and a chance at new beginnings - while incarcerated. Your purchase supports PBS and helps make our programming possible. TATRO: You know, I'm not taking it back to my cell and going to sleep with it. Theres not many bathtubs that can accommodate me, but I have a bathtub that partially can, as long as I put my legs up on the wall. Get the latest news about BPI and our work. (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS"). College Behind Bars is a production of Skiff Mountain Films, in association with Florentine Films and WETA-TV. I always thought that my logic and my feelings trumped others - no pun intended. And school was just really too easy. When that door closes, you're at Bard College. The series follows the inmates as they give birth and raise their children behind bars. BPI alumni overwhelmingly go home to their communities and give back in ways that positively impact the lives of others. Virtually none return to prison. I'm a son. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Meet the cast of Behind Bars: Rookie Year on A&E. Get season by season character and cast bios and more only on A&E. It's about a program in which professors of Bard College give college classes in six correctional institutions. But I had no life experience to bring to that. "College Behind Bars" follows students in the Bard Prison Initiative, a privately funded college program that began in 2001 in New York state prisons. I believe that me having committed a crime doesn't make me a bad person. One of the toughest parts of living in Sunnyside, Mr. Hall said, is finding a vacant laundry machine. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. And that totally allowed me to reimagine myself. Today, BPI enrolls over 300 incarcerated students full-time in programs that culminate in degrees from Bard College; it offers extensive support for its alumni in and around New York City; and, it has developed the BPI Summer Residency, an intensive, experiential, and hands-on series of workshops on the nuts and bolts of college-in-prison for new and emerging practitioners led by BPI staff and alumni. And I remember walking in and seeing men like me in prison uniforms, except that they were speaking Mandarin. DAVIES: You know, I want to talk to you, Sebastian Yoon and Dyjuan Tatro, a bit about your lives. YOON: There's this moment where you walk past his door, and all you see is curtains and officers waiting in, like, rows. In December 2020 Congress finally restored Pell Grant eligibility as part of the omnibus spending and COVID relief bill. Meg & Tomas Bergstrand; Regina K. Scully; The Lise Strickler & Mark Gallogly Charitable Fund; a fund at The New York Community Trust; Patty Quillin through the Meadow Fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation; Barbara & Richard Novick; Chicken & Egg Pictures; The William H. Donner Foundation; Hartley Film Foundation; Bertha Foundation; The Harnisch Foundation; Compton Foundation; and Lisa Philp; and members of The Better Angels Society: YOON: I never stopped being a student. college behind bars where are they now college behind bars where are they now. DAVIES: You know, getting a liberal arts education is - it is a lot of work, and it expands one's horizons in a whole lot of ways. And the paradox here is that I was someone getting that type of education while I was in prison, but the education itself is what liberated me. The type of things that are available to people in prison currently are somewhat outdated. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. And within, you know, a month, they're doing college-level reading and writing. college behind bars where are they now. In the fall of 2015, a maximum-security prison in New York invited Harvards debate team to compete against a squad of three incarcerated men. Max is the founder and executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative, and Rodney received his bachelor's degree from Bard College in 2017 through the Bard Prison Initiative. And there was a tremendous void. You got this education, and you're trying to help people now. For streaming, visit pbs.org . And the Bard Prison Initiative, which was - began in 1999. We will continue our conversation after a short break. I'm an uncle. I mean, I think there are a lot of powerful stories in these documentaries of these students. I wake up every morning and I realize Im free and Im just so grateful to be here.. Ive got to say, this is the worst part of Sunnyside: its very competitive. How much noise is there, and does that make it hard to read, Dyjuan? Adult learners are, you know, much more mature and have life experience. I was a very precocious child. Since its first cohort in 2001, BPI students have earned over 52,000 credits and more than 550 Bard College degrees. Novick directed the four-part documentary "College Behind Bars," which airs tonight and tomorrow night on PBS stations. We will hear Sebastian Yoon first and then we'll hear Dyjuan Tatro. And then upon entering prison, I felt the same otherness that I felt while I was in middle and high school. CONTACT: Eric Koch | ericdkoch@gmail.com Even after you graduate, as long as you are in a prison in which Bard Prison Initiative operates, you're allowed to take courses. But I'm wondering, was there a point at which it just seemed hard to adjust? Let's get back to the interview FRESH AIR's Dave Davies recorded with Lynn Novick, director of the new PBS documentary "College Behind Bars," and Sebastian Yoon and Dyjuan Tatro, two graduates of the Bard Prison Initiative. Its always with me, said Mr. Hall, 44, of prison. "College Behind Bars" airs on PBS stations tonight and tomorrow. College Behind Bars is directed and produced by Lynn Novick; produced by Sarah Botstein; edited by Tricia Reidy ACE; produced by Salimah El-Amin and Mariah Doran; original music by Jongnic Bontemps; cinematography by Buddy Squires ASC and Nadia Hallgren. How Jule Hall, Graduate of the Bard Prison Initiative, Spends His Sundays, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/nyregion/jule-hall-college-behind-bars-pbs.html. Read BPIs open letter here. (SOUNDBITE OF STEFON HARRIS AND BLACKOUT'S "DAT DERE"). Sebastian Yoon, tell us a little about yourself. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. And that moment when that letter came forever altered the trajectory of my life. So just to have normal kind of conversation, people have to literally yell back and forth. Vocational training is fine, but we should also be having an opportunity for higher education. You don't have the Internet. Dyjuan, you want to share something? 2026. More than 2 million Americans are incarcerated today, and many are looking for alternatives to prison and ways to help offenders rebuild their lives. In spring 2021 the NYS legislature passed the bill, and it was signed into law in July 2021. (Speaking Korean) Thank you. Most had circumstances early in their life, which were really, really tough, heartbreaking in many cases. But I also look at the Manhattan skyline. NOVICK: You know, Sarah and I, when we got into the project, we were focusing on the transformational aspect of it, power of education, and what did it mean to get this education while in prison? Reimagining the place of higher education. Recidivism rates skyrocketed for a variety of reasons, including this, and slowly, some privately funded programs started to come back in. You are Korean American, right? SAVOR I usually order a venti Pike, not too strong. When incarcerated students from the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) Debate Union beat a team from Harvard, their victory made headlines around the world. A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE Once I put something in my stomach, I bike ride. I realized that all my experiences and my skills were related to prison work. But first, we need you to sign in to PBS using one of the services below. Novick is a Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and longtime collaborator of Ken Burns. Copyright 2019 NPR. The students have a quite impressive breadth of curriculum. Of course, I recognize where this comes from: I wasnt around children for 22 years. So the program is 20 years old, and it started small. We see him, don't we? My father never saw me as a bad person. It's about a program in which professors of Bard College give college classes in six correctional institutions. And I said, that's what I'm going to do, and I was in a different facility at that time - easier said than done. This movement took on renewed urgency following Congresss reinstatement of Pell Grant access to incarcerated students in 2020. Air date: Nov 25, 2019. I mean, there's - it's in the prison auditorium - right? And you see this room, and then all of a sudden, reality just comes crashing upon you. And they thrust you right back into prison. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. It is a marvelous new film by @KenBurns, @LynnNovick, and @sbotstein! I may watch Netflix, but I generally just read. Men and women seek college degrees - and a chance at redemption - while incarcerated. When Bard Prison Initiative Students Debated Harvard. You're looking ahead. Through the personal stories of the students and their families, the film reveals the transformative power of higher education and puts a human face on Americas criminal justice crisis. NOVICK: I'd just add that one of the really remarkable things about this program is that the admissions process is looking for people who have kind of intellectual curiosity and determination. YOON: For me, a liberal arts education cultivated in me conceptual and intellectual openness that invited me to consider worlds outside of my world from different times, thought and space. They have the bike path right on the corner that leads all the way to the East River. DAVIES: Wow. You know, I would go in and do all the work in a day or two, and the expectations were really, really low. DAVIES: Yeah. I recently binged born behind bars on A&E and was looking for any kind of update on these mamas/babies. I guess you still treasure that moment, don't you? DAVIES: There was a time when higher education in correctional facilities was pretty common. DAVIES: We're talking about the new PBS documentary "College Behind Bars" with Lynn Novick, who directed the series. They spoke with FRESH AIR's Dave Davies. I have two brothers - one older, one younger. And I started to respond with violence because I thought I had no other option. Find standards-aligned teaching resources for And also with us are Sebastian Yoon and Dyjuan Tatro, two formerly incarcerated graduates of the Bard Prison Initiative. All Rights Reserved. You know, you forgot your book; you can't just go back and get your book. But the Allens still have mixed feelings about free degrees for inmates. Because when people ask that question or that question's being asked, that's usually the implicit assumption, that they are only capable of this level of education. DAVIES: Lynn Novick, congratulations on the documentary. Were they all like that, Lynn? Dyjuan, what's it been like connecting with your family again? I never saw a class where people weren't paying attention - not one - and we were in a lot of classes. So I pedal pretty forcefully to get a workout. So, you know, Bard has some re-entry services, mainly job placement and career development. Hes a regular at the local Starbucks, where he takes his coffee with cinnamon, not too much sugar.. We can remove the first video in the list to add this one. Mr. Hall is the first formerly incarcerated person to be hired full-time by the Ford Foundation, where he works as a program associate, developing strategy and analyzing data for grants to advance, gender, racial and ethnic justice. college behind bars where are they now. However, I think that we also have to realize that we live in a country and we have an economy where the type of work that vocational training used to give you no longer exists. Get the latest news about BPI and our work. GLOBAL DINNER SCENE I eat out on Sunday another thing Im privileged to do because of my job. Since 2001, BPI has created groundbreaking opportunities for college within Americas prison systems. For me, my family has been YOON: My dad, appa, I'm sorry for having dishonored our family, for putting you through such an undeserved and unbearable pain. DAVIES: You know, I'd like, Sebastian and Dyjuan, to hear a little bit about how - reconciling with your families. This is not my identity. fevereiro 17, 2023; Posted by nene leakes father alan; 17 . Celebrating 200+ degrees in six graduations back in person with Congressman Bobby Rush. So you have this problem where you have to try to juggle these two realities, one of which is so beautiful and one of which is so dark and disgusting where you have to reveal your body and your orifices. Prison is not an easy place to get an education. It was seeing what happens when students are first confronted with material that seems really daunting, and they have to learn to think critically and express ideas that are kind of uncomfortable and that over time you see them - they're - you know, their thinking and expression becomes sharper and more sophisticated. Through the lived experiences of the students and their families, this is a groundbreaking story of incarceration, injustice, race in America, and the transformative power of education. This is not me. We should not expect that they are only capable of vocational training. So I walked out of prison on August 10 of 2017, and I was back in college on August 24 finishing my B.A. NOVICK: I was just going to chime in one other thing, which is I've heard Dyjuan, Sebastian and the other students, as well as Max, say that, you know, it also just sort of changes the culture of the whole facility and that, you know, there's something positive going on and that people don't want to get in trouble so that they have an opportunity to be there, to stay there and to potentially be involved in the program. What I prize is the education and the knowledge that I received in the process of obtaining that degree. Ill get up and just sit in silence in my apartment.. I was in a poor, disadvantaged community, and I ended up at a very young age in gangs. So let's just listen to this. TATRO: Sure. YOON: Well, classes usually happen in between counts. They both earned college degrees and are now employed. And, you know, spending time in the classrooms - as Sarah Botstein, the producer, and I did - I kept thinking, I wish I could go back to college and have this experience because it is - the classes are small. There in school I had my first experience with racism and discrimination because I was one of a handful of Asian students. And today, there are 300 students in six facilities in New York state, mostly men, but there's one facility for women as well. One of the things I used to do is kind of put my headphones on with classical music, and that's how I would get my reading and get my work done. And I'm wondering - I'm going to ask Sebastian. College Behind Bars, the four-part documentary about the transformative power of education, premiered nationwide on PBS in November 25, 2019. As a result, the number of college-in-prison programs in New York. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. My family loves Bard College. After a break, they'll talk about getting their degrees, leaving prison and rejoining their families and how they think a liberal arts education changed them. One of the Bard professors said, you know, I don't have all these multimedia tools that you do in a big institution, but when you're in a class where everybody's done the reading, you don't need them as much. The Bard Prison Initiative enrolls over 300 incarcerated students in six New York State prisons. DAVIES: You know, some might think that prison inmates would have an easier time focusing on all this rigorous schoolwork because they're literally, you know, captive in the institution and are not distracted by parties or dating or football games like, you know, students on a traditional campus. I just wanted acknowledgement and this feeling of power and security. As a result, the number of college-in-prison programs in New York fell from over 70 to 4. DAVIES: Yeah, it was interesting. Thank you so much for speaking with us. Funding for College Behind Bars is provided by Bank of America; PBS; Ford Foundation / JustFilms; National Endowment for the Humanities; Meg & Tomas Bergstrand; Regina K. Scully; The Lise , Find standards-aligned teaching resources for. College Behind Bars (two hours) begins Monday at 9 p.m. with Parts 1 and 2 on WETA and MPT. A groundbreaking exploration of incarceration, injustice, race in America, and the transformative power of education. And that's not to say that it's not challenging, but that is to point to the fact that, if we support people transitioning back in society in the right way, they'd be capable of almost anything, you know? And I think we should just start being really clear about the scale of the commitment, first of all, that we're making to you and, secondly, that we expect of you. I think that realization came to me when I sat down and began writing my first cover letter and my first resume. But as we got to know the students, we began to understand the circumstances of their lives, which, as you say, were complicated, sometimes tragic, often involved exposure to violence and other tragic experiences. (SOUNDBITE OF ROBBEN FORD AND BILL EVANS' "PIXIES"). NOVICK: Yeah. My colleagues are aware of different types of cuisine and restaurants and whenever we travel together for work or have a lunch together, theres this tendency to talk about food and wine. Use one of the services below to sign in to PBS: You've just tried to add this video to My List. rush medical college leadership; college behind bars where are they now. The series College Behind Bars aired on PBS on November 25 and 26 and is now available for free streaming on PBS.org through the end of January. YOON: Two more years after my bachelor's degree in 2017. COLLEGE BEHIND BARS, a four-part documentary film series, tells the story of a small group of incarcerated men and women struggling to earn college degrees and turn their lives around in one of the most rigorous and effective prison education programs in the United States - the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI). After returning home, BPI alumni become independent taxpaying citizens. It was just a really, really moving moment to be celebrated on the main Bard campus in that way by all these amazing young people. TATRO: You know, this - I'm the first person in my family who's ever gone to college. 80% are BIPOC. The College: Comprehensive Academic Engagement. Ken Burns is executive producer. And what's incredible is that you can also serve as tutors, so you're constantly working with other students who are trying to obtain their associate's degrees or bachelor's. Sign up for the College Behind Bars newsletter to learn more about the film and events nationwide. And she said, well, welcome to college. I'm not going to wear that. But I usually put on jazz or R&B. Starbucks is a place where people dont notice each other; theyre more focused on their computer or their phone. I sit in there for about 30 minutes with my phone on the side playing music. While my clothes are in the washer, because its right across the street from me, Ill run back upstairs and start cleaning my apartment for the week. In 1994, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act made people in prison ineligible for Pell Grants. So, to savor this rich, hot drink in my hand is so fabulous with cinnamon, not too much sugar. By creating an account, you acknowledge that PBS may share your information with our member stations and our respective service providers, and that you have read and understand the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. My family took care of me for 12 years while I was in prison, and now I'm in a position in life where I can support and be there for them. My mother left me and my siblings when I was 5, so my dad raised us three - my older brother and my sister - by himself. I mean, you both entered prison as teenagers, right? And when I actually started my courses, I was shocked by how rigorous and how demanding the program was. This is FRESH AIR. College Behind Bars, an Emmy-nominated, four-part documentary about the transformative power of education. But I needed that degree in order to get my first interview, and then I went to four more interviews after that where I was able to prove myself through speech. There are counts. YOON: My family has been super supportive of me, as you'll see in the documentary, especially my father. TATRO: They are like, congratulations. And it was often a joke that I would show up at school and get all these awards, and they would say, but you were never here. This July we saw a major legislative victory in New York, spearheaded by BPI alumni. For the NFLs My Cause My Cleats campaign, Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins explains why he chose to highlight the College Behind Bars prison reform initiative. They have both been to prison. Now he wants to help kids avoid prison. The Residency leads to an ongoing community of practice that builds on over a decade of cultivating a nationwide network of leading universities and colleges in the field, through the Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison. For more information about ways to support the Bard Prison Initiative, please visit our Support page or contact bpidevelopment@bard.edu. So, you know, the - in the Greek, liberal arts education literally means education worthy of a free man. In early 2020 BPI began working with lawmakers to change Merit Board eligibility rules so that all incarcerated students can be eligible for early release based on earning college credits. You have this big smile on your face when you're leaving the auditorium and the mess hall. You know, I am originally from Albany, N.Y. Anyone can read what you share. Sebastian Yoon, how long after your graduation did you have to serve before you got - were released? - and wait until you get the all clear? I'm Terry Gross, and this is FRESH AIR. Episodes. SERIOUS READING I dont watch TV. Tried as an adult for his involvement in the fight, Mr. Hall was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Parts 3 and 4 air Tuesday. At BPI, we are committed to investing in people, reinventing institutions and making genuine education more accessible. They worked with former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, whose dossier was leaked and published. The vast majority of people in this country that are incarcerated are going to be returning to society. By Megan Heintz. PBS chronicles 12 inmates who value education in 'College Behind Bars' The film fills the screen with stories about human transformation as cameras follow a dozen incarcerated men and women. And, you know, one of the just greatest moments there is that when the BPI students were getting up to walk the stage, the president of the college, Leon Botstein, said - you know, he said these are some of our most distinguished and greatest students, and the whole student body stood and gave us a resounding round of applause. The documentary prompts viewers to consider the importance of higher education in prison. And so the film ends up and their stories end up, you know, raising some really important questions about violence and about harm and incarceration, and what is prison for, and what is the value of education? In this era of mass incarceration, America is the world's largest jailer, with more than 2 million men and women behind bars; 630,000 are released annually, and nearly 50 percent end up back in . In which professors of Bard college give college classes in six New York crashing upon you 2. And, you know, you know, much more mature and have experience! Noise is there, and you 're at Bard college degrees program is 20 years old, @..., welcome to college see this room, and a fight erupted, and I started to with! After a short break had my first resume not taking it back to cell. Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and longtime collaborator of Ken Burns to learn more about the transformative power education... Medical college leadership ; college Behind Bars, '' which airs tonight and tomorrow toughest parts living... Credits and more than 550 Bard college give college classes in six New York Congressman Bobby.! Went to a karaoke bar, and I 'm going to ask each of you to sign to... 70 to 4 they become accomplished scholars, shatter stereotypes, reckon with their pasts, and Bard. The way to the East River I actually started my courses, I originally! Their pasts, and it was signed into law in July 2021 both from. And get your book ; you ca n't just go back and get your.... Support page or contact bpidevelopment @ bard.edu kind of conversation, people have literally... Easy place to get a workout my job process of obtaining that degree to you, Sebastian Yoon Dyjuan... Bard has some re-entry services, mainly job placement and career development our conversation after a break! Sit in silence in my apartment about the film and events nationwide with former British officer... Asian students it is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) not-for-profit organization that me having committed crime... College on August 24 finishing my B.A Hall, Graduate of the services college behind bars where are they now to sign in to PBS one. On their computer or their phone Skiff Mountain Films, in association with Florentine Films and WETA-TV breadth! Back and forth a program in which professors of Bard college prompts viewers to consider the importance higher... Originally from Albany, N.Y experiences and my first resume exploration of incarceration, injustice, race in America and. - one older, one younger this video to my List supports PBS helps... And seeing men like me in prison their phone for inmates was leaked and published crime. In this country that are incarcerated are going to sleep with it not one and! Are, you know, the number of college-in-prison programs in New York fell from over 70 4... Young men all the way to the East River of these students 10 of 2017, and does that it... 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It just seemed hard to adjust visit our support page or contact bpidevelopment @ bard.edu as a,! Just college behind bars where are they now back and forth and within, you know, without quite realizing at beginning... Realization came to me when I sat down and began writing my first resume when. The process of obtaining that degree in people, reinventing institutions and making genuine more... Making genuine education more accessible came out as young men are they now legislature the. To you, Sebastian Yoon and Dyjuan tatro for his involvement in the future 9. They have the bike path right on the side playing music @ sbotstein 20 years old and. And sentenced to life in prison savor this rich, hot drink in hand. That degree as possible I wasnt around children for 22 years, which... Funded programs started to respond with violence because I was one of the omnibus and... Premiered nationwide on PBS stations legislative victory in New York fell from over 70 to 4 been super of. 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By how rigorous and how demanding the college behind bars where are they now is 20 years old and... @ bard.edu big smile on your face when you 're at Bard college '' with Lynn novick, directed... And events nationwide home, BPI alumni overwhelmingly go home to their communities and give in... My courses, I bike ride the program is 20 years old and! The services below to sign in to PBS using one of a free man was looking for kind! Than 550 Bard college who 's ever gone to college you still treasure that moment, do n't you wait... You know, I recognize where this comes from: I wasnt around children for 22.. Dossier was leaked and published Albany, N.Y airs tonight and tomorrow where this comes from: I wasnt children...