Cal State LA’s Prison Graduation Initiative Convening highlights reentry support, policy action, and community impact

Judge Songhai Armstead fired off a final question that doubled as a call to action for the 400 audience members gathered at The Luckman for Cal State LA's annual Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI) Convening Fair on Thursday, April 9.

Serving as moderator of the event's inaugural Legislative Panel, Armstead asked her four-person panel of experts to provide the audience with concrete suggestions on how they can affect justice reform for California's incarcerated population.

The answers came quickly: register to vote and show up at the polls; contact local and state legislators; house a parolee; and engage with organizations such as The Prism Way and the Los Angeles Justice, Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD), which were present at the event.

"You need to speak up when these bills come before us," said California State Senator María Elena Durazo, "and they are coming before us really fast. You all have a role. You have a right to speak up and speak out, and it makes a difference."

Each answer received enthusiastic applause.

In only its third year, the convening continues to grow and has become a key event showcasing the influence of the innovative PGI program, which was founded in 2016 as the first in-person bachelor's degree program in California for incarcerated students.

The panel was followed by a special screening of The People in Blue, a documentary produced entirely by an incarcerated crew from the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, the most recent institution to join PGI.

But the highlight of the convening continued to be the afternoon Resource Fair, with more than 60 organizations tabling outside of The Luckman to offer resources to formerly incarcerated individuals and their families.

"PGI and Cal State LA are part of the community," PGI Director Bidhan Roy said. "We are here throughout the year, so when we hold our event, our partners respond and promote it through word of mouth. The convening generates its own buzz."

Last year's convening featured more than 40 vendors, and this year more than 100 expressed interest in tabling, although PGI did not have the space to accommodate an extra 40 vendors.

"These events help people when they come home," said Tarik Clark, who served 25 years before being paroled from Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. "It helps them gauge where they need to be and helps them find the resources that will help them succeed. I'm always looking for housing and for employers who are willing to hire those who have felonies on their record."

The vendors offered a variety of services, from legal advice to mental and physical well-being, and from technological literacy to food support.

Herbert Daniel Taylor, a Cal State LA junior working on his Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services, took his time and spoke to many of the vendors about their offerings. The 47-year-old Los Angeles resident was paroled from the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad in April 2025.

"I've never been to a place that wants you to win so badly," he said. "Everyone bends over backwards to make sure that things are happening for you."

The convening has been held in April for the past three years to commemorate Second Chance Month, which raises awareness about the challenges faced by people with criminal records.

"It's a great event," said Noah White, who tabled with JCOD. "It's wonderful that we're able to encourage the community we serve to pursue higher education, and that we're able to let them know that information, tools, and support are available to them."

The original convening in 2024 was a showcase for the art of incarcerated individuals, but it shifted the following year to feature the Resource Fair. The additions this year of the Legislative Panel and film screening provided an even more well-rounded experience for participants.

"The Legislative Panel is a new, important aspect," Roy said. "We're trying to partner in community, storytelling, and action. We want to move the systemic needle, and we have partners in the field who can help do that."

The panel featured Durazo, Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, Anti-Recidivism Coalition founder Scott Budnick, and Amity Foundation CEO Doug Bond.

The People in Blue documentary centers on a 2025 dance held for incarcerated men at San Quentin and their daughters. It follows the fathers and organizers as they carefully planned the event.

In one touching scene, the fathers watched videos of dance moves and practiced them so they could impress their daughters. The documentary culminates with the dance as the fathers, dressed in tuxedoes, reunite with their daughters on the dance floor.

The Cal State LA screening marked the first time the film was shown outside a prison facility. It was directed by incarcerated filmmaker Louis Sale, with production completed entirely by fellow incarcerated individuals at San Quentin.

To date, PGI has graduated more than 72 students, including those who paroled and completed the program at Cal State LA. Lancaster's third cohort is expected to graduate another 30 students on May 28.

Nearly another 180 students are on the pathway to graduation in the next few years. The recidivism rate of graduates who have been paroled remains at 0%.

PGI offers undergraduate degree courses at California State Prison, Los Angeles County in Lancaster, the California Institution for Men in Chino, and the California Institution for Women in Chino.

The first cohort at San Quentin will begin classes in the fall.

California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 22,000 students and has more than 260,000 distinguished alumni.