The Power and the Promise: Education in Prison webinar was held March 3, by Kalee McCullough assistant director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics with panelists Angelica Perez, Kyle Robertson, and Bidhan Chandra Roy. The webinar covered the process the panelists go through with their programs as well as the impact and benefits their program has on inmates.

Bidhan Chandra Roy, professor of English literature at California State University Los Angeles and founder of words uncaged was first introduced within the group of panelists and said his program is a platform for incarcerated artists and writers to engage with the public through book publishing, art exhibits, etc. His program, Words Uncaged, is located in a number of different prisons within Southern California and is a nonprofit organization which helps inmates through their career path. 

Angelica Perez, program manager of the Inmates Scholars Program of Bakersfield College said her program helps offer a transfer associate’s degree or a certificate of communication for those incarcerated. Perez said her program focuses on helping improve inmates’ educational paths.

 “We want to invest and give those a chance to succeed and not re-offend. We want to help create productive and successful members of society,” Perez said. 

Kyle Robertson, a teacher in San Quentin State Prison with a Ph.D. in philosophy from UC Santa Cruz and a JD from UC Berkley, has his program called Mount Templeous College also known as the Prison University Project inside San Quentin. 

Robertson is a co-coach for the debate program says his program helps bring in college teams from around the area as well as teams from San Jose State and Stanford University to take part in public event debates inside San Quentin. 

Chandra Roy said his inspiration to begin working with inmates sparked when he first met them while working on a project that would help the inmates express themselves on paper. He shared that once he met the inmates he questioned how could he not take on the responsibility. 

Perez gathered inspiration a few years back from Chelsey Askivia, the director of the inmate’s scholars program at the time. She said Chelsey’s speech drove her inspiration in helping the program.

Robertson went through with his program when a former student of his told him he wanted to start a debate program which he found interesting because the inmates had a unique perspective when debating as fellow citizens. 

Education in prison is known to have an impact on those incarcerated, however, Chandra Roy said his program impacts not only inmates but helps set a good example for the younger generations in their families.

Perez said her program has made an impact on inmate’s relationships with their families and friends as well as help them realize they can change at any point.