Summer 2026
Building Belonging, Opportunity, and Second Chances Community Resource Fair
The Justice Education Center hosted its inaugural Building Belonging, Opportunity, and Second Chances Community Resource Fair for justice-impacted individuals and their families on August 1, 2026. The event brought together 90 attendees, including 35 service providers across education, employment, housing, wellness, legal services, reentry support, and community advocacy. Connecting education with community support is key to our work for justice.
Reentry, Resilience, and Second Chances: A Community Conversation
Moderated by Kenneth Butler, PZ ’21, this inspiring panel featured Annie Nunez, PZ ’23, Brett May, Thornton D. Withers, and Danny Camarena, PZ ’23. Drawing on lived experience and professional expertise, panelists explored recovery, reentry, education, and community healing, highlighting the power of second chances and the transformative impact of education.
Bard Prison Initiative Summer Residency and Denmark Learning Exchange
As part of the Justice Education Center’s commitment to transformative education, Program Assistant Kenneth Butler PZ ‘21 recently participated in the Bard Prison Initiative Summer Residency and served as Program Coordinator for the Prison Education Project on a learning exchange in Denmark. Through collaboration with educators and correctional institutions, these experiences strengthened cross-cultural conversations about prison education, equity, and social justice.
CRC Pathway to BA Graduation: 5th Cohort
The 5th and final Pitzer College Inside-Out BA cohort at CRC graduated this summer, with a special ceremony honoring students’ academic achievement, perseverance, and growth. The president and his cabinet, CRC Warden and staff, faculty, family and community supporters gathered to cheer on our esteemed graduates. This concludes our 12-year long prison education program at CRC (just prior to the prison’s closure).
NorCo CRC Commencemet Ceremony for Pitzer Inside Out Students
CRC Commencement Ceremony on May 19, 2026
Fall 2026 Inside-Out Exchange Courses
The Justice Education Center is excited to offer Inside-Out Prison Exchange classes with two new partnerships this Fall, 2026. Scripps dance professor, Suchi Branfman, is teaching Choreographing Our Stories at California Institution for Women (CIW). Three additional classes will take place in partnership with La Entrada de Los Angeles, a FCRP community custody transitional housing facility of Amity Foundation and the CDCR. Pitzer history professor, Andre Wakefield, is teaching Propaganda; Pomona Gender and Feminist Studies/Religious Studies professor, Erin Runions, is teaching Prison, Punishment, Redemption and Pitzer Spanish professor, Paula Guiterrez is teaching and Latinx Identity, Language, and Power.
Connect with the Justice Education Center!
The Justice Education Center at the Claremont Colleges welcomes students, faculty, alumni, and community partners who want to get involved in justice-focused education. Contact us at: justice_education@pitzer.edu. Visit our website. Sign up for our newsletter. Join us in the work of transformative education as a pathway to empowerment, community & justice!