Painting by Aniekan

Justice for DC Youth (JDCY)’s Prison to College Pipeline program (P2C) was designed by Shani Jamila to support the education and empowerment of juveniles incarcerated in Washington, D.C. Our point of contact with youth began within the juvenile justice system.

Via the P2C we offered one-on-one tutoring services to New Beginnings residents (formerly Oak Hill) to improve literacy skills and reinforce the option of post-secondary education as an opportunity to excel. We also offered arts activism based group workshops that focused on developing leadership and encouraging critical thought. JDCY recruited and trained University of Maryland College Park students to tutor, lead workshops, and coordinate events for the program. Our pedagogical approach included both arts activism and popular education methodologies, which rest on the foundation that youth and adults alike serve as both teachers and learners.