At LAM we host and participate in a variety of events from instructor trainings, panels, lectures and conferences. Check out each tab below to learn about our different events.
Want to attend a future event? Check our Event Calendar Page.
Our humanistic research approach to pedagogy also foregrounds incarcerated people’s desire for and experiences with collective learning and authorship. LAM Collective scholarship will contribute to academic communities grappling with ethical and practical matters of collaborative higher education in prison projects, the values and challenges of implementing justice-oriented pedagogies, and the impact of prison education on teaching and learning. LAM Collective asks how the benefit of higher education in prison can be pushed even further when pedagogy is not merely an approach teachers take to inform instruction, but also situates incarcerated people as creators, practitioners, and authors of pedagogy. LAM Collective members co-facilitate one day of the 3-day required instructor training for OPEEP faculty. (pictures from May 2025 training)
During this event co-sponsored with the Global Arts + Discovery Theme and Project PEER, five incarcerated members of LAM Collective presented their insights from the group (via web conferencing) and answered audience members’ questions about LAM’s intellectual project and future plans
NWSA:
In October 2023, LAM members participated in the National Women’s Studies Association’s annual conference. Panelists discuss Black feminism, collective learning, and community building. (picture) (Will get additional write up from a participant)
Dr. Robin D. G. Kelley (picture?)
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Chinonye Chukwu Visit by Stormy (picture)
Originally coming to speak to LAM members about her movie Till, our discussion unfolded into an intimate conversation and of Chinonye Chukwu’s life. As she invited us into her private life, Ms. Chukwu told us about growing up as an immigrant in Alaska. She spoke of feeling isolated and out of place in such a remote location surrounded by people who did not relate to her. As she dreamed of becoming a director, her parents, who are engineers, wanted her to pursue an education in a traditional field such as law or medicine. Ms. Chukwu’s inspiration to tell stories never stopped and while in university she finally found people who understood her. She explored Black feminism and the rich heritage she craved as a child in Alaska. Now as a director she has established a platform to advocate for those who have been ignored, overshadowed, and silenced. Her vulnerability was astonishing as she disclosed the details of the struggles of daily life intertwined with the struggles of directing films that are highly emotional and historically accurate. She proudly uses her courage and bravery as a director to tell stories that are raw and candid. Ms. Chukwu has also used her platform as a director to teach a film class at Dayton Correctional Institution and Dayton, OH. This is another embodiment of the activist she has blossomed into. This was a unique afternoon at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, which would be a cherished memory for years to come.
Dr. Treva Lindsey
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Bettina Love Visit by Heather
Dr. Bettina L. Love, author of We Want to Do Rore than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom, visited the LAM collective on April 8, 2024, for an author meet and greet. I was especially excited to hear Dr. Love's first-hand wisdom on strategies for incorporating an abolitionist view into educating the youth. She spoke of the importance of celebrating and encouraging joy, the need for experienced teachers of color, and the need to remove discriminatory standardized testing. She was transparent, reflective, and humorous in depicting her own struggles as a Black woman athlete in a racist system, and how the encouragement of mentors allowed her to see beyond the basketball hoop and into her future as a college professor and author. Her passion to reach those behind the walls and share the hope for abolitionist education as a change agent with outside communities is truly inspiring.
Dr. Cheryl Hicks (picture)
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Jill Davis by Liz
On August 12th, 2024, I had the opportunity to attend a public speaking workshop facilitated by Jill Davis. As a fellow facilitator, I found many aspects of the workshop to be very useful in my daily life at the Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW). For example, Ms. Davis informed us that perfectionism is not the goal. The goal is learning how to use our own experiences to impact people. Ms. Davis shared her experiences as a workshop leader and facilitator – some of which were not that successful, but proved to be important learning opportunities for her, and other experiences where she excelled. This was reassuring because, as a peer mentor, I often share how I developed boundaries for myself and others with courage and repetition.
We also discussed the concept of storytelling and ways for each of us to use our experiences to impact people here at ORW and beyond. Ms. Davis stated that “facts don’t change minds; stories do!” Being authentic and narrating connections with stories captivates the audience and encourages them to reflect on difficult topics.
During the workshop Ms. Davis shared a video of Roxanne Gay discussing her memoir, Hunger, and her personal vulnerabilities and struggles. Ms. Gay reminded LAM members that we all have a voice and that we must learn how to use it. We must speak or write with a purpose! Members of LAM Collective have been using our voices to inspire others, raise awareness, and engage in change in our communities.
For me, the most impactful words that Jill Davis shared with us were “negative thoughts are learned stories.” Since then, I often tell myself that the negative thoughts are someone else's story; not mine! I cannot wait until Ms. Davis visits us again to share her knowledge, energy, and passion!