Stay Connected !

Students leading the world

• The ‘Un-Becoming’: A former L.A. gang member finds his resurrection tale at UC Berkeley

  Jessi Fernandez prepares for a celebration of 2023 graduates at Homeboy Industries. Fernandez grew up in Boyle Heights and joined a gang at 13, before turning his life around through education.(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

• Groups for formerly incarcerated students aim to reject stereotypes, offer support

  Alberto Lule, a fifth-year art student, said through the Underground Scholars Initiative at UCLA, he can carry his experiences from his incarceration as a badge of honor. Some formerly incarcerated students and students impacted by the incarceration of a loved one are using mindful language and USI to advocate for their community and dismantle negative perceptions. (Antonio Martinez/Daily Bruin)

• "I got that second chance. I now had the possibility of coming home."

  "I got sentenced to 14 years, opposed to a lot of my friends who got sentenced to life sentences," Madrid said. "I got that second chance. I now had the possibility of coming home."

• Heard on campus: Abdulla Puckett at the Penn State Prison Education Summit

  Abdulla Puckett, a doctoral student at the University of California at Los Angeles, addressed a group of nearly 140 individuals who gathered for the Penn State Prison Education and Reentry Summit on March 29-30 at the Nittany Lion Inn. Credit: Annemarie Mountz / Penn State. Creative Commons

• Johanna Carbajal’s journey from lockup to law studies at UCLA

  After years of foster care and incarceration, the single mom found her calling — and a welcoming space on campus. She hopes UCLA continues to embrace others like her

• Student group for formerly incarcerated sees first graduating class

  The Underground Scholars Initiative offers academic resources and support to students who were either once incarcerated or affected by the criminal justice system. (Daniel Leibowitz/Daily Bruin)
  
  

• Underground Scholars Initiative: Just Culture

  The Underground Scholars Initiative at UCLA put together a free event to the public on April 20 called “Just Culture” to showcase its movement within the UC community. With several Los Angeles-based vendors, performers and lowriders present at the event, USI helped create an opportunity for many to come together and share their art and stories with one another. Former USI president Javier Rodriguez shares his aspirations for USI and how he hopes the organization will continue to help students who have been affected by the legal system feel at home.

• UCLA Alumni: Andrew Winn

  Andrew Winn was homeless after being incarcerated for much of his 20s and 30s. Now Sacramento State has named him as its director of Project Rebound, a program that seeks to help formerly-incarcerated students get through college and achieve their career goals.

• Opinion: I went from prison to college. After setbacks, Rising Scholars helped me get there.

  While on the streets, I always told everyone it was a temporary journey, always talking about how education had changed my life, even while high.

• Building a Prison to School Pipeline

  This story was originally featured in La Gente’s Winter 2018 Incarceration Issue.
  
  From handcuffs to cap and gowns. Growing up in low-income communities and inner cities, most of us have been affected by mass incarceration, but what has been done to reintegrate individuals back into society or academia? In an era where the United States incarcerates individuals at higher rates than the rest of the world, an organization at UCLA is doing its due diligence to reduce the recidivism rate.

• La Gente Newsmagazine. An Underground Scholars: Highlighting Daniel Cisneros

  Daniel Cisneros, a fourth-year undergraduate Chemical Engineering major and formerly incarcerated student says "I always try to promote higher education, like, 'Ay, if I could do it, then you could do it, man. You know, I'm not any smarter than you are."

• Sara Rodriguez recently graduated from UCLA with a master’s degree in social welfare.
• From Homeboy Industries Trainee to Academic Assistant: Mynor Mendez Reflects on Lo Máximo

  Mynor Mendez, Dedicated to turning my life around and mending the harm I had caused my community, I signed up for their 18-month training program, which focuses on healing and change.

Bruin Underground Scholars in graduate school

• Jaqueline Rodriguez

  UCLA Underground Scholar in Stanford Law School

• Miguel Beltran

  UCLA Underground Scholar in Colombia University for School of the Arts & Sciences, Sociology

Bruin Underground Scholars in professional roles

We take the time to highlight students who continue to support formerly incarcerated students outside of UCLA. We see the impact each and every one of them did on campus. We want to take this moment to highlight the work they are currently doing.

• Homeboy Industries Thought for the Day: Trust the process

  Leah Pinedo, Case Manager at Homeboy Industries

• Root and Rebound

  John Rodriguez, Root & Rebound Education & Communications Manager

• Insight Garden Program

  Andrew Winn, Executive Director

• Justice Scholars Program at LBCC

  Sara Rodriguez, Justice Scholars Staff