David Rothenberg, the Fortune Societys founder and a former Broadway press agent, in front of the Castle. Shawnta Montgomery Pictures . You just say fine. Several residents contracted COVID-19, and the decision was made to stop accepting new residentsa painful departure from long-standing Fortune Society practiceand to shelter the entire population in place, with the positive cases self-quarantining. Probably the kindest, most loving thing anyones ever done for me, he says. There was a brief pause. Police responded to her Hudson Avenue home at around 9:10 a.m. Friday for an. "Look what it does for people, look at the doors that are open, look at recidivism ratesyou see the transformation.". Like, for realI did that, and I didnt do what I would normally do. We all know what we could do. But, where in the movie version the returning local hero would be surrounded by a crowd, Rivera quickly sought out one-on-one encounters. And, of course, I did.. Part of what I have is the contradiction of my appearance, he explained one evening. Tamika Graham, 17 Instead of spending $80 billion a year to lock people up, lets build communities and create a world that is more fair and less racist. Lets not make it about the dynamite. College Behind Bars remains especially in the first episode admirably focused on the practicalities of prison life and prison programmes. I had a mentor once, and I was telling him everything I was doing, and he said, Where is Sam in this? That was hugely helpful to me. Im a program associate at the ford foundation with the gender, racial, and ethnic justice unit, bringing directly impacted experience to philanthropy. They are investigating who owns the weapon, he said. BPI students are felons serving long sentences for serious crimes. A language of elaborate indirection fills the room. Sam Rivera outside the Castle, a residence for the formerly incarcerated. "Inside the walls of a classroom, you escape the walls of a cell and you become an individual again," says Shawnta Montgomery, speaking at the 16th commencement of the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI), in the documentary. Peer Recovery Counselor, Fortune Society. Rivera soberly restores order, often in response to an excess of poetry that the meeting has allowed itself. Rule infractions can lead to solitary confinement and massive disruption to their academic progress. BPI graduatesmany of whom are here tonightare erasing that stigma every day, and paving the way for everyone who is coming behind us. With self-confidence comes motivation, an eagerness to want more for yourself, your family, and an opportunity to be more than you thought you were capable of, thus leaving strong potential to set an example for the next generation and end the cycle of incarceration. There is now bipartisan legislation before congress to restore Pell eligibility for people in prison. Yet, there is one intrinsic benefit to the classical studies Bard Prison Initiative students undertake: They grapple with texts and are drawn into stories that speak of the age-old struggles of the human condition. Love tethers us in that way and keeps us connected. Our line was: If you smoke weed, and keep doing it, were going to discharge you. Last month, I visited BPIs home at Eastern Correctional Facility. (The computer room is not a place to come to hang out, he announced as one meeting began. Lifting the ban on Pell Grants for those in prison may save more than$365 million, according to a study this year by the Vera Institute of Justice and the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality. Hegemony. Andrew Cuomo alsopledgedstate funding for the program in 2014, but backlash led him to withdraw the policy proposal. (Uh, my greatest weakness? She represents a lot of Americans who are worried about the outrageous cost of education, and where our tax dollars are going. Im a four-time recidivist here, he has joked. At BPI, we are committed to investing in people, reinventing institutions and making genuine education more accessible. Shawnta Montgomery and Elitha Smith-Lutz speak on stage at the special screening of COLLEGE BEHIND BARS at The Apollo Theater on November 12, 2019 in New York City. For BPI's more than 550graduates, the recidivism rate is2.5%, the institute said. "That was the first time in my life that I really was empowered and felt kind of proud of myself," Kinzel said. Get the latest news about BPI and our work. Week after week, the same seats are almost always occupied by the same people. "This is about restoring access to something that already existed and that was successful when the Pell program first started. Itwill impact thousands of people's lives, millions over time, and it also makes fiscal sense. E., the longtime resident with the basso-profundo voice, put it bluntly: Sam is the difference between leadership and leadershit. Lets hold that, because I definitely want to know about this brick. That foundation thats still there., David Rothenberg founded the Fortune Society almost by accident. Its likeyou know, Ive been thinking a lot lately about diets. Current Address: KLUA Midway Ave, Chesapeake, VA. Past Addresses: See available information. Rivera was sitting over dinner at Trufa, an eclectic little restaurant at Broadway and 140th Street. Shawnta Montgomery Crew Member at McDonald's New York City Metropolitan Area 2 followers 2 connections Join to connect McDonald's Experience Crew Member McDonald's View Shawnta's full profile. Conversations with others in the organization suggest that the issue was a familiar one, especially within nonprofits. Rivera discreetly pointed him out to Rothenberg. Past Addresses: Montgomery AL, Montgomery AL +2 more. Whats bottom? Shawnta Montgomery, 20, who lives on Hudson Avenue in Roosevelt, pleaded not guilty to two counts of manslaughter at her arraignment Monday in First District Court in Hempstead, court officials said. This film following students of the Bard Prison Initiative is a tribute to their ambition and endeavour and an indictment of the absence of funding for such programmes. It gave me hope for his future. The same rule that holds in a small regional theatre holds in a nonprofit devoted to post-incarceration transitions: the charismatic figure wins the allegiance of his clientele, at the risk of alienating his colleagues, who, without any malice or even conscious envy, become mindful of what they see as his managerial deficits. Much of the language of the meeting is specific to the world of those who have been locked up. Dizhawna, who was nicknamed "Da Da," turned 2 on Christmas Day. Elitha Smith-Lutz Thursday meeting is a mandatory, semi-sacred gathering of the Castles eighty or so residents, all of whom have been incarcerated, some as recently as earlier in the week, along with people who once lived there or who would like to live there. And one arrogant woman running for office who was there watching came up to me and said, What was that old con in for? I said, I dont know, I guess for winning three Pulitzer Prizes? He smiled. But we were always working poor. Near the end of one mock interview, the questioner said, You seem like a fine candidate for the job. Phone Number: (334) 354-PZKB +2 phones. He and Rothenberg drove together from Rothenbergs apartment in the Village up to 140th Street. In the hope of rescuing a different future for us all, we must take some lessons from BPIthis program has much to teach us about the role of education in society. Page insists that the organization will go on more or less intact. Ninety-five percent of people who are in prison will get out, Ken Burns,executive producer ofthe PBS film, told USA TODAY. It should not be strange to hear prisoners talk about The Oresteia or Moby-Dick or eukaryotic cell structure but it is. You can get addicted to education. There is now bipartisan legislation before congress to restore Pell eligibility for people in prison. Before the ban on Pell Grants in 1994, there were more than 300 college programs in prisons, said Tiffany Jones, director of higher education policy at the Education Trust. Thats why I say, If youre going around meto smoke or get high or whateveryoure not fooling me. And at about the third floor it caved in and the guy said, Wow! Intentional haircare for the mindfully obsessed . As a formerly incarcerated woman who has been working at this for nearly twenty years, I can tell you: College Behind Bars could not arrive a better time. Was anyone around this week when I got stepped to?. But no one, as Rothenberg says, goes away for thirty years for jumping a turnstile, and many people at the Castle have been away for thirty years. Id like to offer it to you. Shawnta Montgomery, 20, of Roosevelt, is led out of Mineola police headquarters for her arraignment. Shawnta Montgomery, another BPI alum, worksas a peer recovery coach at the Fortune Society, a New York City nonprofit group focused on integrating formerly incarcerated individuals back into society. Vivian Nixon I remember when I was having problems with my roommate and I had to move to a single room. By the time he got out of prison, he had finished a mathematics major and earned a bachelor's degree from Bard College. Tamika Graham and Jumaane Williams speak on stage at the special screening of COLLEGE BEHIND BARS at The Apollo Theater on November 12, 2019 in New York City. There was an endless line of men snaking up the stairs of this theatrical building. Rivera can keep the room buoyant with a jokeusually at the expense of Rothenberg, who, as the household saint, can afford to have a few jokes told at his expense (and whose aura is very different from Riveras: small, high-strung, gay, and Jewish). Theres an architecture of the room that I rely onE. Shawnta Montgomery, '17 Peer Recovery Counselor, Fortune Society Now that I've been home for a few years, I appreciate even more what it means to be a Bard alum. No ones ever asked them how they feel.. The crime is not who you are.. How ya doing? Sam Rivera laughed, and his audience wasnt quite sure whether to laugh with him or not. Goldvale said the study foundmany at the local and state levelare intrigued by the expansion of Pell Grants to prisons. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. Ad Choices. Montgomery was. By signing up for BPI emails, you are agreeing to receive news and updates from BPI. It was six oclock on a Thursday evening last fall at the Castle, at 140th Street and Riverside Drive, and the weekly meeting was just beginning. Then on Thursday you go over to Moms and she makes fried chicken, and how can you say no? He was killed by a drunk driver on New Years Eve. I was driving by a playground once, near where I grew up. Executive Producer, College Behind Bars. About how you have to hit bottom to come back up. During a search of the Roosevelt house, Azzata said, police recovered a 9-mm handgun from a bedroom. The biggest news, politics and crime stories in Nassau County, in your inbox every Friday at noon. Join Facebook to connect with Shawnta Montgomery and others you may know. Tell me, if I do will anything come up? The candidate, trained in previous classes, struggled to recall the ideal answer, which is something like: Yes, when I was younger and behaving stupidly, an unfortunate situation occurred and someone got badly hurt. Its valuable that Sam has lived experience, Page said. Theres nothing you could do., Heres the deal, Rivera said. I know it wasnt easy for them, but my family was there for me the entire time I was in prison, and theyre here tonight. I was with my boys, watching a show where theyre imploding a casino, and Im kind of into it. My life styleIm not proud of itbut I was a stickup kid my whole life. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images for Skiff Mountain Films). There may be a bottom below the bottom youve hit already! Im grateful for all you have done to help me see the world more clearly, one said. Log In or Sign Up Shawnta Montgomery See Photos Shawnta Montgomery See Photos Shawnta Montgomery See Photos Shawnta Montgomery See Photos Shawnta Montgomery Jackson identified the homicide victim as 44-year-old Shawnta Moultry. For those navigating the challenges of rentry, it can help to have a tough-minded guide with lived experience. Yet I know that Sam wasnt afraid, and he could have whipped this guys ass. Program Associate with the Ford Foundation, Executive Director of College & Community Fellowship. The crime is not who you are, its what you did. David said once, to a journalist who asked, How can you work with these violent criminals?, Well, how would you like to be identified for your entire life by the one worst thing youve ever done? Page emphasizes the societys open doors policy. The autopsy uncovered prior abuse as well. Her age is 73. For the longest time, I really didn't understand the value of education. He can tell the difference between someone who looks tough and someone whos a threat. Found of Listen Up Media, Philadelphia Eagles Two-time Super Bowl Champion. Thats the only way it happens. (You get in the good habit of bullshitting white people, Rivera remarked later. "Iwant people to walk away from this film understanding that there are many more people who want to be involved in programs like this that are incarcerated, but they don't have the access or the possibility of doing so.". Lawsuits, Liens or Bankruptcies found on Shawnta's Background Court records found on Shawnta's Family, Friends, Neighbors, or Classmates So hes, you know, the whole dealthe warrior-monk kind of guy. Your support helps make this possible. For those who couldnt attend in person, watch the trailer and read the remarks below. Jones hopes change will come as policymakers realize tough-on-crime policies that exclude incarcerated individuals from opportunities don't work. For real? I cant fix him. Rivera considers this view the kind of luxury that only people who are not struggling to stay home can indulge in. Obviously, we have to reform the system and end the problems, and put fewer people in prison, he said. Many of us have done it. Education experts argue the benefit of expanding college prison programs is both personal and fiscal. That is because of the determination of formerly-incarcerated advocates and leaders across the country. If we can find your foundation, you wont fall. Giovannie Hernandez, 17 Studies reckon that every $1 invested in higher education in prison saves the public $5 overall. He lives in Teaneck, New Jersey, and has two teen-age sons and a daughter in her twenties. Professor of History at MIT and BPI. Bard Prison Initiative students benefit from the wisdom and experience of Bard professors, who hold them to the same high expectations as their main campus students. The most effective argument at the time (and likely today) is that taxpayer dollars should not subsidize free college for criminals, especially when the majority of the nation cannot afford it. ROOSEVELT, NY Police have charged 20-year-old Shawnta Montgomery, of Roosevelt, with first-degree manslaughter. Someone says to me, very glum, I didnt do anything. No! Nourished by Shawnta Haircare. December 09, 2019 03:36 PM Student Shawnta Montgomery spoke inspiring words at her graduation ceremony: "Inside the walls of a classroom, you escape the walls of a cell and you become an. Detective Lt. John Azzata said Montgomery is 7months pregnant. Now its Angelas turn., As with anyone who has left an organization to which he was devoted, Rivera became more aware of Fortunes flaws and fissures in retrospect. Tune in to the broadcast premiere on PBS. I couldnt have stood there with this guy spitting in my face saying the things he was saying. So, one night Miss Peggy Lee called me at midnight and said, I want to do a show of Frank Loessers music, Rothenberg was saying in the car. Mondays O.K., you eat your soup and salad. Im not going to expel someone for smoking marijuana. If Sam is like that, then I can be like that. Its about me taking control of what my own experience is. Because of my college education, my time in prison had purpose. t should not be strange to hear prisoners talk about. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, I went to McDonalds drive-thru for lunch but left with bags of cash instead, Carole Baskins dead husband found alive but no one noticed last year, Ex-'SNL' star talks MLK Jr. 'penis' statue in 'Daily Show' debut: 'Can't unsee it', The holiday hubbub is taking over Midtown NYC and beyond, Why NYC's new vice economy weed, casinos might be doomed, Conor Kennedy gifts pal Andrew Warren rare Dior purse at Miami bash, The pained life of Riley Keough, Lisa Marie Presleys actress daughter, Penelope Disick rates brother Masons epic sneaker collection: Going to steal, Kitten born with same 'Zorro' mask as her father, Lisa Marie Presley's grave prepped at Graceland across from Elvis'. Dont wait to hit bottom before you start working your way back up. The theatrical side of the Castle is self-evident to its sharper-eyed residents. Although he disavowed any internal conflict, there clearly had been complicated feelings between him and some of the top people at the Fortune headquarters. Im aware of the stresses on him, Webb said. Thanks for contacting us. This high standard of education BPI is taught at the same level as Bard College, theliberal arts school in New Yorkis crucial to Hall's hope of Pell Grant expansion. Millennial Politician Chle Swarbrick Challenges New Zealands Boomer Generation. Then Tuesday goes better than you hope, but then Wednesday is really hardyoure hungry. I spent more of my life in prison than free. If I wait for the world to be better, then the whole society would have to change, and I dont have a long enough life to wait for that to happen., At a Thursday meeting a couple of weeks later, a recent home-comer praised another Castle client for gently urging him away from a confrontation with someone who pushed himor whom he perceived to have pushed himon the subway. (If you call someones bullshit poetry, they wont be that offended, even if youre telling them you dont want to hear it.) On this evening, for instance, someone used a formula familiar from twelve-step programs: You have to hit bottom before you can come back up. This sentiment went around the room with echoing fervor. What had seemed an accidental weekly arrangement was purposeful. One Thursday, Shawnta Montgomery, who loves to tease Rivera for his sincerity and self-seriousness, was on the right, too, closer up. The program in 2014, but then Wednesday is really hardyoure hungry you smoke weed, and our... 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