'College Behind Bars' producer, co-producer of Hemingway doc, joins Thursday WNC virtual event
Western Nevada College’s Higher Education in Prison Program has scheduled its second event in a four-part series to be held over the next year: “A Community Conversation: The Challenges and Opportunities of Reentry” on Thursday, April 8.
Salimah El-Amin, a “College Behind Bars” producer, has made plans to be part of the event’s live panel discussion. El-Amin is currently working as a co-producer of the documentary film about the life and work of Ernest Hemingway.
HEPP Director Deb Conrad said that the latest virtual event will include students who took college classes from WNC while incarcerated and have since transitioned to college students after their release. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak will provide opening remarks for the 5 p.m. event.
“We look forward to hearing from those who know firsthand what it is like to make the transition and discuss ways colleges, businesses and communities can support the success of these students,” Conrad said.
HEPP provides access to higher education and workforce education for the underserved population of incarcerated men at Warm Springs and Northern Nevada correctional centers and currently serves more than 100 students.
The event includes a virtual screening of short reels from Ken Burns’ “College Behind Bars” and a live Q&A panel that will includes James Kim, a student featured in the film and a Bard Prison Initiative alumnus and reentry program participant, and two formerly incarcerated students who started their higher education with WNC and are furthering their education at other Nevada System of Higher Education institutions.
HEPP is hosting the community event in partnership with the prison education programs of College of Southern Nevada, Great Basin College and Truckee Meadows Community College.
Go here to register.