The subject matter: the harms of mass incarceration on women
The Film: A Woman on the Outside
Growing up, Kristal watched nearly every man in her life disappear to prison. She channeled that struggle into keeping families connected, both as a social worker and with her van service that drives families to visit loved ones in far-off prisons. But when Kristal's dad and brother return to Philly, her happiness meets the realization that release doesn't always mean freedom. Passionate, funny and resilient, Kristal remains determined to carve out a different future -- for herself and for her young nephew, Nyvae. Part observational documentary, part family album, A Woman on the Outside is a tender portrait of one family striving to love in the face of a system built to break them.
Watch now on Youtube via AmericaReframed on PBS WORLD.
The film opened “Liberated Lives,” a new collection of films on WORLD that centers on the stories of incarcerated people, returning citizens and their families.
Essie Justice Group is a nonprofit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones taking on the rampant injustices created by mass incarceration. Their award-winning Healing to Advocacy Model brings women together to heal, build collective power, and drive social change. They are building a membership of fierce advocates for race and gender justice — including Black and Latinx women, formerly and currently incarcerated women, transgender women, and gender non-conforming people.
The Nonprofit: Essie Justice Group
Join us in donating to Essie Justice Group. Other ways to support: Follow | Stay Informed | Nominate someone with an incarcerated loved one.
The Filmmakers & Nonprofit Leaders
A Woman On the Outside received a $20,000 grant to help launch their impact campaign. Strategies include providing advocacy groups with material to host their own AWOTO screenings, and hosting community screenings and talk-backs that bring together directly-affected families. Essie Justice Group received a $10,000 grant to help fund one of their Healing to Advocacy Program cohorts, a network of Black and Brown women with incarcerated loved ones disrupting the cyclical impacts of the criminal justice system through breaking isolation, healing trauma, leadership development, organizing, and building political power.