UWM and The Community launch series on justice reform and reentry

MILWAUKEE_The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and The Community are partnering to present “From Incarceration to Empowerment,” a compelling series of events aimed at shedding light on the criminal legal system, reentry challenges and justice reform. Designed to engage students, community members and key stakeholders, this initiative seeks to inspire meaningful conversations and actionable solutions for reintegration and systemic change.

This event series will explore the criminal legal system after conviction, examining the numerous obstacles to rehabilitation embedded throughout the incarceration journey. It will shed light on the financial, social, emotional and institutional barriers formerly incarcerated people face, as well as the profound hardships and unnecessary costs imposed on their loved ones and society overall. This series offers a powerful opportunity for education, discussion and advocacy around the criminal legal system.

UWM schools and units involved in presenting the event series include the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, the Institute for Systems Change & Peacebuilding, the Center for Student Experience and Talent, the School of Education and the Roberto Hernandez Center.

Event Highlights

The series will feature three major events, highlighting the stories and struggles of justice-impacted individuals while also inspiring solutions for a more equitable society:

Stigmatized: A Criminal Legal System Simulation
Tuesday, March 4
Two sessions: 3-5 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, 2100 E. Kenwood Blvd.

This immersive experience, created with support from the Criminal Justice Student Association, places participants in the shoes of a formerly incarcerated person re-entering society or even years after release, while navigating the challenges to employment, housing, health, relationships, financial stability and overall success.

“The Strike” Documentary Screening & Panel Discussion
Thursday, March 6
5:30-7:30 p.m.
UWM Student Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.

Attendees will view “The Strike,” an award-winning documentary chronicling the largest hunger strike in U.S. history led by incarcerated people in solitary confinement. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring a formerly incarcerated UWM graduate, a star from the film and esteemed criminal justice scholar Cecelia Klingele.

States of Incarceration Exhibit
Through March 14
UWM Student Union, campus level east, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.

This interactive, traveling exhibit – developed by over 800 contributors across 18 states – examines the historical and social roots of mass incarceration, its impact on public safety, economic stability and community well-being, and the urgent need for justice reform.

About UWM
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an ambitious mission as both a top-tier research university and an access institution, striving to ensure that students have equitable opportunities to earn a college degree. UWM educates a diverse student body of more than 22,000 students from 88 countries. About 39% of its undergraduates are first-generation college students. Its unique and top-rated programs include Wisconsin’s only accredited schools of architecture and public health, the only North American school dedicated solely to freshwater sciences and a film program ranked among the top 50 in the world. It has the largest and top-rated online education program in Wisconsin. UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, promote entrepreneurship, provide student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2024 “Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.