Beyond The Bars Fellowship Alumni

Meet our past Beyond the Bars fellows

BTB Fellows 2022-2023

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Dayo Adeoye (she/her) is an abolitionist and aspiring legal theologian born and raised in the Midwest. She is currently a Master’s of Arts candidate at Union Theological Seminary and incoming J.D. candidate at Columbia Law School. Dayo specializes in Interreligious Engagement and Social Ethics, with an emphasis on the intersections between religion and the American criminal legal system. Dayo also holds B.A.s in Law, Letters, and Society and Religious Studies with a minor in Human Rights from the University of Chicago. Before coming to New York, Dayo worked alongside many  anti-incarceration organizations in Illinois including the Office of the Lt. Governor of IL Julianna Stratton, The Pozen Center for Human Rights Lab, and the Prison+Neighborhood Arts and Education Project. 

photo of Crystal, a Black woman smiling in a black shirt and glasses, in front of some trees

Crystal L. Stewart-Batson is a rookie in the social justice field. Her passion is ensuring all justice-impacted persons be given an equitable chance upon entry back into the community. Equitable housing, healthcare, education, job readiness training, etc. Aspiring to be a humanitarian who makes a difference in her community and in society. 

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Joe is a second-year Master of Social Work candidate at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, with a focus on Community Organizing & Social Policy. In 2022, he was the recipient of Silberman's Frank W. Pollatsek Award for Achievement in the Cause of Justice. Before beginning his MSW, Joe worked at the Immigrant Defense Project, advocating for the rights of immigrants caught at the intersection of the racist immigration and criminal-legal systems; at IDP, he held roles in Development, Operations, and Digital Strategy. Over the course of his career, Joe has built and honed many skills in community organizing and campaign strategy. Most recently, he has held graduate-level internships at Common Justice, working on the Fair Access to Victim Compensation Campaign, and Brooklyn Defender Services, as a part of their Policy, Advocacy, and Reform Team. Joe’s work focuses on the criminalization of people and communities of color; he hopes to continue this work after the completion of his degree in a policy-oriented role.

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Leonardo Alim Cepeda is an Afro-Boricua Muslim born and raised in East Harlem. He is formerly incarcerated and spent his youth (14-18) and early adult years (19-30) incarcerated, and has been home since 2010.  He has had no trouble with the law since his release. He is a certified national gang specialist and a credible messenger. He is also a student and fellow at Columbia University's Justice through Education Scholarship. His goal is to get an MSW from Columbia University. He has a passion for debates when it comes to social justice. 

 

Ayla Gelsinger is an activist, researcher, and aspiring oral historian. Ayla is a first-generation college student and is currently a second year MSW student at the Columbia School of Social Work. Ayla's goal is to abolish the child welfare system and is passionate about collecting the stories of those who have been impacted by mandated reporting. Ayla is interested in implementing abolition work in public schools through trauma informed practice and restorative justice. 

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Brigitte Harris is a formerly incarcerated woman currently working as a delivery person for a pharmacy. While incarcerated, she worked with a group called R.T.A. (Rehabilitation Through the Arts), an organization that brings theatre to 5 prisons in New York. She is also an advocate for children dealing with emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and is currently working with TELL, a non-profit organization that talks to family members about the importance of speaking out if they know there is a child abuser in the family. She is the recipient of "La Lucha Arts" The Impacted Women Ambassador Award for La Paloma Project for her longstanding advocacy work with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated communities as well as the ReEntry Rocks Sister Mary Nerney Award for the same advocacy work.She is planning to open a food truck (Bridge's Kitchen) selling authentic Liberian cuisine in the borough of Staten Island. 

 

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Lorenzo L. Johnson, Jr. is a writer, mathematics educator, and graduate student attending Teachers College, Columbia University. Lorenzo joins the Beyond the Bars Fellowship with a specialized interest in advocating for members within communities affected by the penal system and further disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline by empowering youth to recognize their genius. Lorenzo is a product of Sumter County Schools in Americus, GA. 

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My name is Joseph Jones.  I was born and raised in Houston, TX. A few years ago, I attended the University of Kansas, and after one night, my life spiraled out of control, eventually leading to a 5-year prison sentence in the Kansas Department of Corrections. At this point, I made a commitment to live a life of purpose despite the confines of my prison environment. I couldn’t be a product of my surroundings. Fighting many barriers to entry, I was able to obtain a Paralegal Certification and a Business Administration degree while working a full-time job in the manufacturing industry. In my free time, I created and spoke at community events, led support groups, and taught men how to create outstanding resumes for success upon release.

In recognition of my staunch demonstration of rehabilitation, zero disciplinary issues and strong indicators of success upon release, Governor Laura Kelly of Kansas awarded me an extraordinary grant of clemency on June 24, 2021. With this extraordinary grant my purpose became singularly focused on validating this much needed criminal justice reform and becoming a textbook example of why second chances should be the norm not the exception. I will be a successful Black man and I will pay it forward to other young Black men. I have now found REFORM Alliance and they have given me a chance to develop my skill set and provide real world experience in a professional environment.

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Emma is a third-year law student at Columbia Law School from Los Angeles, CA. In college, she began her involvement in organizations and classes that challenged the carceral state. She was a teaching assistant for the Cornell Prison Education Program for two years, where she taught classes in both medium- and maximum-security prisons, and she earned a minor in Crime, Prisons, Education and Justice. In law school, Emma is the Fellowships Committee Chair for the Paralegal Pathways Initiative, which provides training and fellowship opportunities to people who have been previously impacted by the carceral state. Last year, through an externship, she also actively worked on a death penalty commutation case for a person on death row in Arkansas. Outside of law school, Emma loves rushing for Broadway shows, trying out new noodle shops, and discovering her interest in tri-state geography.

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Mr. Logan is the Business Services Manager at Equus ResCare/WeCARE in NYC. Under Mr. Logan's supervision are Certified Rehabilitation Counselors, Business Service Counselors, and Assessment Techs in the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island. Mr. Logan oversees the Workforce operations, getting individuals back to work with limitations. Mr. Logan also conducts a weekly zoom entitled Justice Involved Fridays, where he discusses the current laws on an individual's re-entry after being released from jail or prison. Mr. Logan discusses housing employment and other physical and mental barriers and support methods for the individual. Mr. Logan travels to jails and prisons to speak to the justice-affected individuals on re-entry to society. Mr. Logan just received a contract to have his justice involved workshops nationally. Mr. Logan is a certified UMA Pilot Instructor, he teaches individuals to fly drones, is a certified driving instructor, a motivational speaker, a crisis intervention specialist, a certified basketball referee, and lastly, Mr. Logan is the sitting Basileus (President) of the Nu Tau Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Inc. in Albany, NY.

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Noreen Mayat is a junior majoring in Data Science with a minor in Middle Eastern studies at Barnard College. As a first-generation, Muslim woman of color, the intersections of tech, social justice, and advocacy have always been at the forefront of her goals. In the past, she has worked as a teaching assistant at Columbia’s Center for Justice under their Justice Through Code program, assisting formerly incarcerated individuals with learning computer science and web development skills that they could use to their advantage in future careers. In the future, she hopes to work on more projects in line with restorative justice practices and advocacy, such as the Data for Good and Data Feminism movements. Noreen is super excited to be part of the Beyond the Bars 2022-2023 cohort this academic year and can’t wait to continue with healing and building community with her co-fellows.  

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Shannon is a mother, professional motivational speaker, counselor, mentor, social activist, urban facilitator, and currently a Resource Specialist for Rising Ground and Educational Employment. Her passion with working with teens is proven through her dedication and body of work in the community. 

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Quenell Redden is from Brooklyn, NY and a Graduate from The Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor's in Psychology and minors in English and Forensic Anthropology. She is currently a graduate student at the Columbia University School of Social Work. She is passionate about working with people who have been incarcerated and hopes to one day open her own non-profit focused on programming for families impacted by the criminal system. In her free time, she loves exploring New York City. 

Pam Segura (she/her) is a facilitator, political educator, and former public school teacher. She is currently an MA student at the Psychology Department at the New School for Social Research, where she focuses on substance abuse counseling, suicidality among youth of color, and mindfulness. She is an organizer with the New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE) and works closely with the Institute for Teachers of Color (ITOC). She is at the Beyond the Bars Fellowship because she wants to better understand the connections between prison abolition, school abolition, the roots of violence, and transformative healing.

Meron is originally from Chicago, IL, and loves the city so much. The similarities between Chicago and New York drew her to the city. She is in her final year at Columbia School of Social Work. She is currently interning at Federal Defenders of New York and last year she interned at Brooklyn Prospect Charter Middle School.  

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Robin is a social work student, aspiring clinician, and conceptual artist. They passionately advocate for housing justice, police and prison abolition, and bring an anti-oppressive lens to all the work that they do. They are a firm believer in deconstructing binaries and abolishing systems of harm wherever they emerge.

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Giselle Williams is a sophomore at Columbia University looking to study History and either Philosophy or African American and African Diaspora Studies. She is from Los Angeles, California and reps her hometown quite a bit. Giselle is passionate about issues concerning the criminal legal system and sees Beyond the Bars as yet another opportunity to fight against it and for its eventual elimination. Being involved with organizations such as the Audre Lorde Project, the LA Black Worker Center, Food Not Bombs, Giselle sees activism as a critical site of world-making. In her freetime, she loves listening to music, watching movies, and using her time on this earth to the very fullest. 

 

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BTB Fellows 2021–2022

Jayla J. Allen is a masters candidate in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, pursuing a degree in African American-African Diaspora Studies at Columbia University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and legal studies from Prairie View A&M  University. She is interested in the intersections of race, poverty and mass incarceration. Jayla's previous advocacy work was based in the south, on voting rights. She plans to attend law school and become a civil rights attorney.

Jayla Allen

Herman Bell is a former member of the Black Panther Party who served 45 years in prison. While incarcerated, Herman continued his political activism through such initiatives as the Victory Gardens Project, The Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar project, as well as doing educational work, mentorship and coaching of hundreds of young men inside New York State prisons. Herman was released in 2018, and has since worked on supporting families of other incarcerated individuals, and a number of other community initiatives.

Herman Bell

Sonja Bilden is an activist and advocate who has built a passionate life that is focused on social justice. Sonja served as board president of Heart of Ganesh, working for the rights of elephants and humans engaged in the human elephant conflict zones of S.E. Asia, as board president of The Eastside Network, on LGBTQ rights and on initiatives within the NW AIDS Foundation. Sonja recently joined the associate board of Brooklyn's Rising Ground and is the owner/C.E.O. of Provider Service Group whose mission is to train and employ survivors of domestic violence and individuals with barriers to employment. Sonja's work is evolving toward providing legal representation and healing practices within alternatives to incarceration with a narrowing focus on prison abolition. Sonja is a musician, yoga and meditation practitioner and is a certified instructor with Living Yoga whose mission is to foster healing and resilience through trauma-informed yoga. Sonja holds a BA in Business from The Evergreen State College and currently lives in New York City.

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My name is Haley Cabassa and I am currently a MSW candidate at Columbia University, a John Jay Alumni, a social work intern, a residential counselor, and a foster care case worker.  I am passionate about fighting for social justice, especially when it comes to working with youth who have been oppressed by multiple systems.  I am a proud, open-minded, and determined future social worker striving to be the best version of myself.  As I continue my fellowship with Beyond the Bars, I hope to continue my journey of growth, self-identity, and learning how to become an impactful advocate for justice. 

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Christine Crowther is a recent graduate from Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare.  She has obtained her Master Degree in Social Work and is currently employed as a school social worker. Before being indirectly impacted by the criminal justice system Christine‘s  passion grew through hearing about the issues that families experienced when involved in the criminal justice system. Christine’s future goal is to be the voice for marginalized oppressed groups within various systems.

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My name is Camille Greene. I am a Brooklyn native but presently I reside in Queens. I am a Paralegal Case-handler with the Legal Aid Society's Homicide Unit. A goal that I am currently working towards, is being accepted into a Law School here in New York. Once I graduate law school, I would love to move to a warmer state (or even an island)  to practice law and have a small farm.

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Kaya Kim is an activist, writer, and junior student in Columbia University majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies and minoring in Ethnicity and Race Studies. She is the founding member of feminist organization, Flaming Feminist Action, and led the movement of legalizing abortion in South Korea. She is passionate about analyzing and addressing intersectionality issues around immigration, incarceration, gender, and race.

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A graduate from Skidmore College with a B.A. in Sociology, Joel immersed himself in social justice by doing a summer long internship with Siena College leading a literature discussion course for incarcerated men at Mt. McGregor Correctional Facility. After graduating from Skidmore, Joel taught for three years at Harlem Academy, an Independent School in East Harlem. Joel, a Harlem native, currently works withThe Bronx Defenders as a criminal defense investigator. Joel is an avid foodie, loves hiking, and is a die hard NY sports fan. Let's go Nets!!!

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I’m an activist, a person of faith, a loving husband, storyteller, grant writer, and social worker for the past fifteen years in a myriad of different settings. Currently, I’m a grant-writing consultant and work per-diem for Catholic Charities of Newark, NJ as a Residential Assistant and Outreach Worker. For several years I’ve worked with the City of Newark as a Peer Reviewer which consists of reviewing and evaluating proposals from area nonprofits and health agencies for 10 million dollars in yearly Ryan White federal funding. My heroes are Dr. Martin Luther King, Alex Haley, Toni Morrison, and James Baldwin. Being born and raised in the Borough of Brooklyn and being impacted by poverty, crime, violence, and drug abuse has affected me immensely and directed me towards a path of social justice, giving back, and making a difference in society. My hope is living a life that would make God, my family, and my friends proud.

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Raised with roots in the South and the West Indies, Chandler (she/her) is a first year Master of Social Work student at Columbia University. Prior to this program, she was the Manager of Engagement & Advocacy at Sundance Institute, a Lewis Hine Documentary fellow, and co-founder of The Bridge, an online publication that celebrates the creative talents of Black and Latinx women. She is passionate about storytelling, loving, dreaming, and collectively creating new spaces of being that center imagination and social equity. Chandler is grateful to be in community and learn from such a remarkable group of people through the Beyond the Bars fellowship.

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Nikita Rahman, a Queens native, is a current MSW candidate at Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW). Nikita's experience includes serving as a wellness counselor at The Epiphany Center, a substance use residential facility; a math instructor for Prison University Project at San Quentin state prison; an advocate for system-involved youth in San Francisco; and most recently an intern at the Network to Abolitionist Social Work. This year she is working as a social work intern at The Bronx Defenders in their Family Defense practice, where she helps caregivers navigate and mitigate the harms of the family policing system (sometimes referred to as the child welfare system). At CSSW, Nikita has also, along with a group of passionate staff and students, helped co-create a new mandated supporting training that has been piloted this fall, and aims to replace the current mandated reporter training which takes a violent carceral approach to reporting families of color. Nikita is also a dancer, plant mama, and sci-fi reader.

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Clarice Robinson is an advocate, educator, and researcher. Clarice began her career as a Teach for America (TFA) Corps member in Helena, Arkansas where she taught middle school and PreKindergarten for three years. Clarice has taught students and worked with families and communities in rural Arkansas, North Texas, and Madrid, Spain. She most enjoys volunteering as a GED tutor at Rikers' Island Correctional Facility and supporting the educational goals of individuals who are incarcerated. 

For two years, Clarice worked at the Columbia University Justice Lab as the manager of EXiT (Executives Transforming Probation and Parole) where she coordinated the work of over 100 EXiT members and supported their vision to transform their probation and parole systems to be smaller, less punitive, more restorative, and hopeful. Clarice has a Master's degree in Educational Leadership, Politics, and Advocacy from New York University (NYU). Clarice is excited to be a member of Beyond the Bars to work and labor alongside other Beyond the Bars Fellows who share her vision for creating a more just and safe world that is not necessitated in prisons.

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Covid slowed life down, in a good way. I have been able to explore my purpose deeper, and study Restorative Justice and Practices and I'm so excited for the future! My Quote: Nothing is impossible the word itself says I’m Possible!

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Terrence Stevens is from Harlem. Prior to receiving the executive clemency as a role-model prisoner, he was featured in the New York Times for the much-needed reforms to the mandatory sentencing laws. Stevens spent 10 years of a 15-year-to-life sentence for a low-level, non-violent drug offense under the Rockefeller Drug Laws even while being confined to a wheelchair as a near-quadriplegic. Since his release, he founded www.inarmsreach.net Mr. Stevens has dedicated his life to serving the youth and families of Harlem, many of whom have been impacted by the justice system. As many as half the population served by IAR have parents or other family members who are or have been incarcerated.

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Jeanette Toledo is attending St. Francis College (SFC), majoring in Criminal Justice with a Minor in  Psychology. For two consecutive years, Jeanette Toledo has been the President of the International Cultural Club and a SFC Peer Academy Student Leader in which the unique role, The Historically Excluded Student Representative, was exclusively created due to her lived  experiences and certifications. Jeanette Toledo is the Executive Chair for the NYC Peer  Workforce Coalition and an Executive Board Member for the NYC Justice Peer Initiative  responsible for leading the Professional Development, Networking and Support Circle Action  Group. Jeantte Toledo earned the NYS (New York State) Certified Peer Specialist, Certified  Recovery Peer Advocate, CPR/AED certifications and the Navigator Certificate in Human  Services and Community Justice (Peer Navigator) from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Jeanette Toledo is a Howie the Harp graduate, was a Peer Intern with Cases and the  Valedictorian for AmeriCorps - Peer Corps.

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Genevieth Vargas is a Criminal Defense Practice and an Adolescent Defense Practice Social Worker at The Bronx Defenders. As a First-Generation graduate student, Genevieth holds a Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University at Albany, and a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia School of Social Work. Genevieth’s interest and engagement in fighting for social justice issues arose when her father and cousin shared with her their experience with the criminal punishment system. One of Genevieth's goals is to create a restorative justice peacemaking space for BIPOC community members who experienced parental incarceration. Genevieth is interested in mass incarceration, youth justice, ending the school to prison pipeline, restorative justice, treatment not jail, and abolition work. 

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