Education Advocate
While serving time at the Eastern New York Correctional Facility, Darryl Byers-Robinson chose to participate in the transformative program that is the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI). It changed his life forever.
During his schooling, he became a founding member of the BPI Debate Team. This group of inmates not only took part in debates with nationally renowned universities, they beat them: in 2015, Byers-Robinson’s team defeated Harvard University. Byers-Robinson’s journey, and those of several others incarcerated at the time, soon became featured in Ken Burns’ and Lynn Novick’s award-winning documentary College Behind Bars, available on PBS.
As a criminal justice advocate, he is a frequent public speaker, traveling across the country speaking to students, communities, legislators and at conferences supporting prison education reform.
Currently, he is the Assistant Program Director at a therapeutic youth program for victims of abuse and a Pastor at three area ministries. Additionally, Darryl works as an advisor to Pennsylvania colleges and universities on their higher education in prison programs.
Discussion Topics:
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- Juvenile Justice Issues & Facilities
- Institutional Program Development
- Debate
- Theological Discussion
- Transition Services and Reentry Supports
- Reentry Relationship Preparations
- Student and Staff Programmatic Dynamics and Specialized Supports
- Higher Education in Prison
Travels From: Pennsylvania
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