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2024
One Million Experiments
The One Million Experiments event in September 2024 explores community-based approaches to safety and wellness beyond traditional policing and prisons. The project includes screenings, performances, and interactive conversations, showcasing innovative ways to create justice and safety through community-led initiatives. The event emphasizes the work being done globally to build transformative solutions, advocating for a world where liberation is explored through diverse community-driven experiments, not just one singular solution.
The Freedom Ball
The Freedom Ball aims to:
- Encourage attendees to engage with the electoral process.
- Highlight the significance of voting as a means of empowerment.
- Foster discussions around civic responsibility and community involvement.
By featuring Joel Castón, the event seeks to leverage his unique perspective on overcoming adversity and advocating for second chances, resonating deeply with the theme of voting as a vital aspect of living fully and freely in a democratic society.
Wake Up: 50 Years of Mass Incarceration Crisis
The event titled Wake Up: 50 Years of Mass Incarceration Crisis focuses on the systemic issues surrounding mass incarceration in the United States, particularly its disproportionate impact on Black Americans. Panelist Joel Castón, an activist and mentor, is featured in the campaign 50 Years and a Wake Up: Ending the Mass Incarceration Crisis in America. This campaign seeks to raise awareness about the devastating effects of mass incarceration, which has led to the imprisonment of nearly two million people today, compared to 360,000 in the early 1970s.
Castón, who was formerly incarcerated, shares his insights on the long-term consequences of the criminal justice system, including the challenges faced by individuals once they are released. He advocates for reforms that offer second chances to those who have aged out of crime, underscoring the importance of reevaluating long prison sentences, especially for young offenders. He stresses that many people serving long sentences are no longer the same individuals they were when they first entered prison.
This public education campaign, which includes personal accounts from formerly incarcerated individuals like Castón, calls for a societal wake-up call to the realities of mass incarceration and advocates for more effective crime prevention strategies. The campaign also highlights the impact of punitive policies and the need for change to build healthier, safer communities.
Nelson Mandela Foundation
As a speaker at the Nelson Mandela Foundation under the Global Freedom Fellowship, Mr. Joel Caston represents a program that unites formerly incarcerated leaders to foster change, combat stigma, and champion global justice, inspired by South Africa's legacy of social transformation.
SXSW: From Prison to Politics:
"From Prison to Politics: Running a Campaign from Behind Bars"
The SXSW panel "From Prison to Politics: Running a Campaign from Behind Bars" explores how incarcerated individuals navigate the challenges of running political campaigns, raising questions about democracy, disenfranchisement, and civic rights in the U.S. prison system.
Key Themes of the Panel
- Civic Engagement: The discussion will focus on how individuals in prison can engage in political processes and the importance of restoring voting rights to incarcerated individuals. Caston argues that civic participation not only informs communities but also aids reintegration after release.
- Disenfranchisement and Democracy: The panel raises critical questions about disenfranchisement in the U.S. prison system, exploring how current laws affect the democratic rights of those incarcerated and how these individuals can navigate political campaigns despite significant barriers.