Leading voice in criminal justice reform to speak at Pitt-Greensburg

Shaka Senghor photoThe University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg presents Shaka Senghor, a leading voice in criminal justice reform, on Wednesday, January 23, at 7 p.m. in the Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center (150 Finoli Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601). Copies of his memoir will be available for purchase, and he will sign copies after the presentation. This event is free and open to the public. It is supported, in part, by the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) supplemental grant award that Pitt-Greensburg received in fall 2018 from the US Department of Education.

Senghor, a best-selling author and award recipient for his work in elevating consciousness about the need for prison reform and addressing the prison-industrial complex, is president and co-founder of #BeyondPrisons, an initiative designed to uplift the voices and experiences of those impacted by the criminal justice system.

He served a 19-year sentence in the Michigan Department of Corrections, including more than five years in solitary confinement. His memoir, “Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in an American Prison,” was released in March 2016 and debuted on “The New York Times” Best Seller List as well as “The Washington Post” Best Seller List. An unforgettable tale of forgiveness and second chances, “Writing My Wrongs” reminds us that “our worst deeds don’t define who we are or what we can contribute to the world.” Senghor’s story has inspired thousands and serves as a powerful testament to the power of hope, compassion and unconditional love.

“I was sent to prison at the age of 19 for second-degree murder. I spent my time reading and writing using books to free my mind and expand my thinking. I clung to words—my own and others—as I pulled myself out of the anger that led me to prison and kept me from reaching my full potential,” he writes on his website (www.shakasenghor.com).

Senghor’s experience in the prison system gives him a familiarity with the inner workings of prison and the politics that play out on the state level and inside the prison walls. From his experience, there are two things he knows for sure: 1) prisons are a business and 2) prisons do not rehabilitate.

In addition to these topics, he covers the following issues:

  • Overcoming seemingly impossible odds;
  • Breaking out of self-imposed prisons;
  • Getting out and staying out;
  • Avoiding the snares of imprisonment (for youth);
  • Tech deserts and what we can do about them.

Senghor’s TED Talk, which he delivered at TED’s 30th Anniversary Conference, received a standing ovation and has been viewed more than 1.3 million times; TED later featured his talk in its “Year in Ideas” roundup, a collection of the most powerful TED Talks of 2014.

He has been a guest on CNNCBS This Morning,” “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” “Good Day New York,” and C-SPAN’s “After Words.” He has also been a guest on numerous radio programs, including “All Things Considered.” 

Senghor is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2016 Ford Man of Courage Award, the 2016 NAACP Great Expectations Award, the 2015 Manchester University Innovator of the Year Award, and the 2012 Black Male Engagement (BMe) Leadership Award. He was recently recognized by OWN as a “Soul Igniter” in the inaugural class of the SuperSoul 100, a dynamic group of trailblazers whose vision and life’s work are bringing a higher level of consciousness to the world around them and encouraging others to do the same. Senghor also was a 2014 TED Prize finalist for The Atonement Project, is a former MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow, and a current Fellow in the inaugural class of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership Network. He has taught at the University of Michigan and shares his story of redemption around the world.

His appearance at Pitt-Greensburg, supported in part by the Title III SIP supplemental grant award, is part of the campus initiative further prepare students to discuss controversial issues, especially in settings that include individuals with opposing points of view. Pitt-Greensburg works to help students learn to practice respectful and civil discourse around topics of disagreement while exposing students to important issues and topics about diversity and inclusion.

The expanded program offerings complement current Academic Village programming and the Campus Alliance for Free Thought weekly discussions by providing more instances of diversity across a greater variety of topics. Ultimately, the goal is to provide a “safe space” for students to learn and talk about new and different ideas to help them learn and practice civil discourse, even with those with whom they disagree, and help them to understand that disagreement can be constructive.

Publication Date

Thursday, January 1, 1970 - 00:00