Mass Incarceration in the United States Four Films Fridays in October

7 PM Frances Crowe Community Room, 60 Masonic St. Northampton

October 7: Up the Ridge. A film by Nick Szuberla and Amelia Kirby. In 1999, Szuberla and Kirby were volunteer DJs for the Appalachian regions only hip-hop radio program in Whitesburg, KY when they received hundreds of letters from prisoners transferred into nearby Wallens Ridge State Prison, the newest prison built to prop up the regions sagging coal economy. The letters described human rights violations and racial tension between staff and inmates. Filming began that year and, through the lens of Wallens Ridge, the film offers viewers an in-depth look at the United States prison industry and the social impact of moving hundreds of thousands of inner-city minority offenders to distant rural outposts. October 14: Yes, In My Backyard. A film by Tracy Huling. Examines rural dependence on prisons and probes the impact on the keepers and the kept. October 21: Concrete, Steel and Paint: A film about crime, restoration and healing. By Cindy Burstein and Tony Heriza. When men at Graterford Prison in Pennsylvania join with victims of crime to create a mural about healing, their views on punishment, remorse, and forgiveness collide. Finding consensus is not easy. The film, featuring Philadelphia's internationally recognized Mural Arts Program, raises important questions about crime, justice and reconciliationand dramatically illustrates how art can facilitate dialogue about difficult issues. October 28: Charisse Shumate Fighting for Our Lives. By Claude Marks and Eve Goldberg. This video was created in collaboration with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and focuses on the life of Charisse Shumate and women in California state prisons. It includes amazing prison interviews as well as materials from State Senate hearings on conditions for women in the California State Prison System. Charisse was a life term prisoner incarcerated for 16 years at the Central California Women's Facility. She died of complications from sickle cell anemia, cancer, and hepatitis C. Charisse championed the cause of battered women when no one else was rallying to their support. And, Legal Services for Prisoners With Children. A short video exploring the challenges and rights of children with incarcerated parents.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. On November 9, 16 and 23rd from 7 to 9 PM a group will meet in Northampton to discuss Michelle Alexanders book. The book group is open to all. A limited number of books will be available at Forbes Library or can be purchased at Broadside Bookshop. For more information or to register contact: info@realcostofprisons.org.

Sponsored by The Northampton Committee Peace and Justice Film Series and The Real Cost of Prisons Project. Free and open to all.