Collaboration From the Inside Out with Renaldo Hudson
FirstFollowers gathering on August 1, 2023
When
Sep 19, 2023
5:30pm–7:30pm
Cost
Free, open to the public
RSVP is required
An Envisioning Justice Activation Event
Hosted by FirstFollowers
Free food and drinks provided during the event
This event is great for people of all ages, families, and young people.
Please join us as we highlight the importance of including perspectives from individuals serving long-term sentences in our pursuit of a more just future.
Artist and organizer Renaldo Hudson will share his experiences as a system-impacted individual and emphasize the need for diverse voices in conversations about creating a world without mass incarceration.
Renaldo Hudson shares his story with guests. (Photo by Bourema Ouedraogo)
FirstFollowers facilitates small group discussions about key questions raised during Renaldo's talk. (Photo by Bourema Ouedraogo)
More About...
Renaldo Hudson
Renaldo Hudson is the Education Director and community organizer with the Illinois Prison Project, and has focused his work on ending perpetual punishment in Illinois.
After being sentenced to death row, he worked for 37 years while incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections to change the mindset of incarcerated people, as well as staff, regarding what rehabilitation should look like and how to focus attention on true rehabilitation.
Renaldo is responsible for founding the groundbreaking Building Block Program, a transformational program run by incarcerated people within the Illinois Department of Corrections. Renaldo’s work has been in Beecher and media outlets throughout the state, and the subject of the documentary Stateville Calling.
FirstFollowers
FirstFollowers’ mission is to build strong and peaceful communities by providing support, guidance, and hope to formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones through peer mentorship.
They offer:
- A safe stigma free environment
- Peer mentoring
- Assistance with employment searches
- Workforce development for emerging adults
- Advocacy for individuals with felony convictions
- Family reunification
- Service referrals
Follow FirstFollowers on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Website
FirstFollowers booth at a 2023 Juneteenth event.
CityView
CityView Events and Meetings Center makes your occasion one to remember. Located in the heart of downtown Champaign on the 4th floor of Illinois Terminal, CityView is readily accessible by car, bus, train, bike, walking, cab, Lyft, or Uber, with ample parking nearby. CityView’s wrap-around windows offer unparalleled views, day or night.
This event is presented in partnership with FirstFollowers and is part of the 2023 Envisioning Justice Activation Series.
Illinois Humanities is collaborating with community organizations in six Illinois towns to host free public arts and educational programs for all ages. These six events featuring the artists, educators, and organizers behind Envisioning Justice RE:ACTION create opportunities to for us to reimagine timely conversations about justice, safety, community, and belonging.
Learn more about the 2023 Envisioning Justice Activation Series and our Envisioning Justice program at ILHumanities.org/EnvisioningJustice.
Funders
Partners
Contact
Suite 650, 125 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60603
312.422.5580 312.374.6787
600 Troy Road
N4, Room 207
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618.468.5580
Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
Illinois Humanities respects the privacy of its audiences and will at no time sell or distribute personal information to any party not directly affiliated with Illinois Humanities and its programs.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.
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