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2018
January 15, 2018: The Peace Walk at Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
January 20, 2018: Self Esteem Workshop at Paul Public Charter School
January 20, 2018: The WIRE Leadership Training on “Understanding our mission, our work and our brand”
February 8, 2018: Conflict Resolution Workshop at Luke C Moore High School
February 2018: Tanisha Murden, Program Director, appointed as Acting Chairman of the Commission on Reentry and Returning Citizens Affairs
February 1, 2018: Met with Cut 50 Director, the Dignity Campaign Director and Cory Booker. Discussed the Dignity Act and national efforts to improve conditions of confinement for Incarcerated women across the US.
February 10, 2018: Prince William county Juvenile Detention Center. Discussed: What Transformation Looks Like with 44 adjudicated youth currently on pre-trial status
February 13, 2018: 89.3 WPFW-FM – The Cross Roads Radio Show. Understanding the Gender dynamics of reentry and the challenges women face as we work toward reform.
Thursday, February 22, 2018: Facilitated a meeting with the Dignity Campaign Director for Cut 50. Discussed organizing efforts to regain local control of DC Parole
February 2018: Lashonia Thompson-El, Executive Director, appointed to the Homicide Elimination Task for the District of Columbia ONSE- Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement
February 2018: Began co-facilitating support group for formerly incarcerated men and women In Collaboration with NAARC – The National Association for the Advancement of Returning Citizens
2017
January 25, 2017: The W.I.R.E. collaborated with The National Reentry Network to facilitate a panel discussion with young adult panelists who have been impacted by mass incarceration after a screening of the film, The Return.
February 2017: The W.I.R.E., Cheleta Tucson testified before City Council at the Public Oversight Roundtable discussion on sentencing with Council Member, Charles Allen to specifically address the media’s negative propaganda as it relates to YRA-Youth Rehabilitation Act sentencing for young adult women and girls.
May 2017: Tanisha Murden, Program Director, appointed as Co-Chairman of the Commission on Reentry and Returning Citizens Affairs
May-August 2017: Facilitated the Summer Youth Employment Program with DC youth ages 13-18 In collaboration with Citi-Wide Inc.
October 14, 2017: The WIRE fundraiser
November 2, 2017: Council Member Robert White’s Reentry Roundtable Discussion. Discussed Reentry Challenges and solutions that include Directly Impacted Women
November 30, 2017: UDC David A. Clarke School of Law. Panelists – Discussed Moving Toward Local Control of DC Parole
December 2017: Holiday Party for Children with Incarcerated Mothers
December 16, 2017: Discussed Self-Esteem and Self-Love with high school girls at Paul Public Charter School
December 17, 2017: Facilitated a field trip to the Nationals Winterfest with Children who have incarcerated mothers
2016
January 2016: The W.I.R.E. participated in a panel discussion for the Safer Stronger Advisory Committee on Strategies for engaging youth.
August 2016: The W.I.R.E. led a public speaking workshop during the 3rdAnnual Female Reentry Leadership Conference for MORCA (Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs).
August 2016: two of the children with currently and formerly incarcerated mothers who are W.I.R.E. affiliates were presented with the Attorney General’s Right Direction Awards.
March 2016: The W.I.R.E. members participated in and moderated a panel discussion sponsored by MORCA. The topic of discussion was: parenting behind bars.
March 2016: The W.I.R.E. participated in an Interview with The Daily Drum – WHUR and Carolyn Corwin of Covington & Burling to discuss the report DC women in prison: continuing problems and recommendations
April 2016: The W.I.R.E. spoke at The National Press Club Press Release for the National Council of formerly incarcerated women and girls at the National Press Club (Presented on DC – A model for the nation)
April 2016: The W.I.R.E. served as group facilitators presenting a break-out session: Parenting After Incarceration at MCI-W Jessup Annual Woman’s Conference.
April 2016: The W.I.R.E. participated in a panel discussion for the US Department of Education. The Discussion was entitled: the impact of incarceration on children with incarcerated parents.
August 2016: The W.I.R.E. led a public speaking workshop during the 3rdAnnual Female Reentry Leadership Conference for MORCA (Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs).
August 2016: two of the children with currently and formerly incarcerated mothers who are W.I.R.E. affiliates were presented with the Attorney General’s Right Direction Awards.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016: The W.I.R.E. participated in a CSOSA roundtable discussion entitled: Rethinking Violence.
December 8, 2016: The W.I.R.E. participated in a panel discussion with CSOSA-Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency after the Screening of the film, The Return.
2015
April 2015: The W.I.R.E. facilitated a workshop and panel discussion on a year after the “ban the box” legislation. A video was created by Georgetown students in collaboration with Theresa Johnson-Thompson of the W.I.R.E.
June 2015: The W.I.R.E. raised funds to take a District Resident who is 18 years old to visit with his mother in Texas. The young man, Donnell Chatman who had not seen his mother in 10 years was able to fly to visit with her for 2 days right before he graduated from Ballou S.H.S.
June 2015: The W.I.R.E. participated in the “Free Her” Conference in Boston, Massachusetts with national advocates who discussed gender responsive criminal justice reform.
June 2015: ORCA collaborated with The Howard University School of Law and The W.I.R.E. to coordinate the 2nd Annual Female Reentry Leadership Conference.
July 2015: The W.I.R.E. – founding member Theresa Johnson-Thompson spoke on behalf of formerly incarcerated women regarding ‘Ban the Box’ legislation at a national rally.
August 2015: Joice Russell of The W.I.R.E. spoke with NBC about Obama’s pilot program to reinstate the Federal Pell Grant.
October 2015: The W.I.R.E. participated in a panel discussion at the AJFO Conference on women and girls in the Criminal Justice system, CJCC Public Meeting on women and girls in the criminal justice system and CSOSA panel for Community Supervision Officers.
2014
January 2014: The W.I.R.E. held a focus group with Susan Folk, Chief of Learning and Career Development and Jerri Kirby of West Virginia University to assist with improving programming in institutions where female offenders are currently housed.
February 2014: The W.I.R.E. spoke to students at American University and Howard University who are majoring in areas of Law and Criminal Justice.
February 2014: The W.I.R.E. facilitated a panel discussion for community leaders with children of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated mothers to inform the public about the effects of incarceration on youth.
February 2014: The W.I.R.E. co-sponsored a reentry conference for practitioners serving formerly incarcerated women introducing several national speakers and leaders in criminal justice and gender specific reentry.
April 2014: The W.I.R.E. became a non-profit organization within the District of Columbia.
May 2014: The W.I.R.E. spoke at a reentry conference sponsored by Professor Whitehead of Maryland University.
May 2014: The W.I.R.E. spoke to the women of Fairview Halfway House sharing their personal experiences and strategies around successful reintegration.
June 2014: The W.I.R.E. co-sponsored the first annual reentry leadership conference for female returning citizens. This event was a collaboration between CJCC, ORCA, CSOSA and the Howard University School of Law.
2013
In January 2013, a group of female returning citizens participated in the CJAN (Community Justice Advisory Network) meeting at the Sixth District Police Department sharing their experience with the criminal justice system and reentry. That meeting of the minds translated into the development of The W.I.R.E. – Women Involved in Reentry Efforts.
June 2013: The W.I.R.E. held its first focus group at The Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs.
August 2013: The W.I.R.E. visited (SFF) Secure Female Facility Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, W.V. sharing reentry resources and personal experiences with women preparing for release in 2014.
September 2013: The W.I.R.E. spoke to the women of Fairview Halfway House sharing their personal experiences and strategies around successful reintegration.
October 2013: The W.I.R.E. facilitated a panel discussion with practitioners in community organizations who are working with female returning citizens to raise awareness about the gender specific concerns women face when they are released from incarceration.
October 2013: The W.I.R.E. visited Jessup (MCI) Maryland Correctional Institution for women sharing resources and personal experiences with women preparing for release in 2014.
November 2013: The W.I.R.E. facilitated a bus trip to SFF Hazelton in support of National Children’s Day in The B.O.P. taking over 20 children to Bruceton Mills, W.V. to visit their mothers.
Women Involved in Reentry Efforts [The WIRE] 