Sean Kelly / Parks Conservancy
The Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series is a program on Alcatraz Island that lifts up and highlights the voices of people who have spent time inside of jails and prisons. The National Park Service believes in parks as platforms for dialogue, and Alcatraz Island, being one of the only NPS sites that interprets mass incarceration, works directly with people who have been affected in order to give them a platform to showcase their stories.
About the Speaker
Ayana will share the work she does to support women, particularly those impacted by the criminal legal system, as they navigate grief, trauma, and the journey of rebuilding their lives. While traditional reentry services often focus on employment, housing, and compliance, her Grief Beyond the Gavel curriculum addresses the emotional and mental healing that is essential but often overlooked.
Through both lived experience and professional practice, Ayana explores the deep layers of disenfranchisement and compounded grief -- grief connected to incarceration, family separation, loss of identity, and systemic harm.
How to Attend
While all events are free, a ferry ticket is required to reach Alcatraz. Purchase ferry tickets at Alcatraz City Cruises. We recommend the 12 PM boat or earlier.
If you are part of a justice-impacted group and are interested in attending one of the days, please email NPS about community tickets for these events.
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- Park
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- Service