Community Engagement Initiative: Supporting Education in Prison

At CREA, community engagement has long been a valued tradition, reflecting our commitment to equity and justice. Each year, CREA partners with organizations that support local communities, fostering meaningful contributions beyond the conference setting. This year, we are honored to collaborate with the Education Justice Project (EJP) to support education programs for incarcerated individuals.

EJP, a unit of the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been a leader in providing post-secondary education in prison. Their work extends beyond the classroom, offering reentry resources, scholarships, and advocacy for higher education in prison. This year, EJP is showcasing the Principles & Applications for Life (PAL) and Advanced PAL (A-PAL) programs, which provide incarcerated women in Newport, Arkansas, with critical educational opportunities to prepare for life after release.

As part of this partnership, we invite CREA participants to contribute to EJP’s efforts. EJP has identified a need for supplies to support the new education program at the women's prison. You can donate directly by purchasing items from the program’s Amazon wishlist, which includes essential supplies such as notebooks, pens, and folders. Additionally, you can support EJP’s broader mission by making a donation through their website.

While donations are welcome at any time, we encourage the CREA community to contribute March-15- April 15.

By contributing, CREA participants help advance the mission of culturally responsive education and support the transformative power of learning for incarcerated individuals. Thank you!