The Beyond the Bars Fellowship offers students and community members impacted by incarceration, an interdisciplinary leadership development program to deepen and expand their identity, analysis, skills and network towards ending mass criminalization and incarceration; and to create a more just and safe world through restorative, transformative and healing practices. Through weekly discussions, guest presentations, and solidarity projects with local organizations, Fellows explore their own experiences and identities as people working for social change; gain a theoretical and practical understanding of carceral systems; and are introduced to various models of social change including community organizing, legislative advocacy, messaging and communications and more. In addition, Fellows identify issues and existing efforts for change, and then work together to develop advocacy and projects to further support those efforts.
The Fellowship meets in person and will meet most of the time on Tuesday evenings at Columbia School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue. Since it is an in-person, this Fellowship is only open to people in NYC and the greater NYC area.
The Fellowship will begin in October 2026 and run through April 2027.
More information about the Fellowship here
Application Process
July 30 - Application Period Opens
August 31- Application Period Closes
Group interviews on a rolling basis
September 18 - Applicants will be notified of decision
October 6- Fellowship Begins
