As part of the YWCA’s mission to empower women and eliminate racism, the community center, located at 525 Bonita Ave., is hosting a series of forums that discuss the issue of mass incarceration in America. 

On Wednesday, the second part of the series will discuss mass incarceration of women and people of color in the U.S. and how it affects the community. The event will feature the work of prison reform advocate Sue Ellen Allen as a part of the year-long Campaign for Real Justice. Allen authored the book “The Slumber Party from Hell,” chronicling her own prison experience.

According to the YWCA, the fastest growing population of inmates in the country per capita is women, over 60 percent of whom are incarcerated with drug charges. Men and women of color are also impacted, especially considering individuals imprisoned due to rigid federal minimum sentencing for “crack” cocaine users.

The discussion will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. Future events in the series are planned for September 23 and November 18.

Also, on Friday, May 1, the YWCA will be celebrating 98 years in the community with a special breakfast. Beginning at 8:30 a.m., you can enjoy breakfast in the courtyard while civil rights activist and leader Missouri senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal addresses the crowd. You can purchase tickets for the event via the YWCA website.

Editor’s Note: This post has been modified to correct the date of the November 18 event.

This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2015.

5 replies on “Join the Conversation about Mass Incarceration in America at the YWCA”

  2. Using prison as a punishment for drug charges has a purpose: Make prisons for profit more profitable. It is a scam. Judges are bribed. Certain groups are targeted again and again (institutionalized segregation). It is more costly by far than rehabilitation because of the amount of money we pay for care of the families and the inmates themselves. I think it is a good series and time we wake up. Because our prison population keeps growing and the same offenders are in again and again, there is proof it doesn’t work.

  3. Thank you for posting this Heather! I sent you the wrong info on the November session it will be on the 18th instead of the 11th:)

  4. Great issue. It’s our great shame as a free nation that we lead the world in incarceration rates.
    I was surprised to hear on NPR that this is a major issue the Koch brothers are involved with (on the good side for once!). So there’s money and interest on both sides of the political spectrum.

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