Unlock Higher Education Speakers series

UHE's April Speaker's Series with Desiree “Dezi Speaks” Riley

In this powerful April session of Unlock Higher Education’s Speaker Series, Desiree “Dezi Speaks” Riley takes us inside the work of transformation—where lived experience becomes leadership, and leadership creates real pathways forward.As the founder of The MasterMind Cooperative, Dezi shares how her team is building opportunity through innovative programs like their Green Jobs Workforce Development initiative—graduating participants from a 6-week paid training focused on composting, landscaping, and solar installation. This conversation goes beyond theory, offering a real look at what it takes to create sustainable, community-driven change for individuals returning home.The session also expands globally, featuring voices from Peru and Panama who are building eco-conscious businesses alongside incarcerated and returning individuals—highlighting both the possibilities and policy barriers that shape this work across different systems.This is more than a conversation. It’s a blueprint for what happens when purpose, innovation, and community come together.🔗 Learn more about Dezi’s work:The MasterMind Cooperative: https://www.themastermindcoop.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjFYdTYzNVh1X3BSX1E2alduNVZpMjNuYzlCQXxBQ3Jtc0tuNURoVkFMOEFHOUs5VGFZSXZ0NUd2akc0YS01MUNZMjNSWEtQQ0xLRVAzUWQ5VzNWY05MdE9oQmFVTXBXak10VFVGRk9oc3VlcXlBQ29sS0Y1WVgyUW1BUTVYOHhNdG9TNWVvR2hLTjB6aWpUUzdoNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.themastermindcoop.com%2F&v=bhj5Eg_KjYU]Dezi’s Linktree: https://www.dezispeaks.life [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDVobzU4UXlmZFItU2Z0bDdkRXQ5MFB1QjlPd3xBQ3Jtc0tuaDFXdVdBT3daLV9Sb2dCMV9obmFHWjdGeTM0V3pzNUM1d2VWdmxQZENDM1RmMmlZY21EMmV1cWVBanNZNDU0TGJ2NWZjUDVvR1pBU19xalVLMzNSVDFLVEl5RmdRV1FNcEVNN2pXMWd6SEx3N21pSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dezispeaks.life%2F&v=bhj5Eg_KjYU]📚 Explore her writing:Felony to Freedom: https://www.amazon.com/Felony-Freedom... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm5HUG9Tem1FdXpSQzExTWhDUUJHeVB1dmRKd3xBQ3Jtc0tsNXgyV05rQncxdW1QeXFsRFdCMk1TSTNFUDEwSm5NNUt3RVFVczc2NVVXZGZEODFRTWJiT0VBV3JlNnNuTjRTWm5nMm8wWG9kZHI5MWVlVTVQc2hWXzY0MGFIMTBneWZxQ1IyZ3h0RlA2ai0xOW1URQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FFelony-Freedom-Journey-Liberating-Institutionalized&v=bhj5Eg_KjYU]Breaking Chains, Building Futures: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Chain... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmNzOHFubUxsS185U1h1N2UxX3NKaW9QNl9aZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsYlpNQUV0aU9QYWdKZ2pZSnlxb3ZKRDZLRDJXbUczSk5Ncm54QVdMZ0FyTlZqTUJPQktlNkpVTTgxN1Z4aS1vcW9tbmJEMGlfWG5tRV90bHJBNm8zdlIwUnB5cVZtWngtNHRJT0NabmhaYjNnLU9jUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBreaking-Chains-Building-Futures-Redemption&v=bhj5Eg_KjYU]Join us as we continue building pathways to education, leadership, and second chances—together.#UnlockHigherEd [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/unlockhighered] #FromPrisonCellsToPhD [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fromprisoncellstophd] #JusticeImpacted [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/justiceimpacted] #SecondChances [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/secondchances] #WorkforceDevelopment [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/workforcedevelopment] #LeadershipMatters [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/leadershipmatters] #SystemChange [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/systemchange]

UHE's March Speaker's Series with Josephine Horace-Jackson

In this month’s Unlock Higher Education Speaker Series, we welcomed Josephine Horace-Jackson, a leader with more than 30 years of experience serving marginalized and justice-impacted communities. She shared her journey across healthcare, policy, grassroots organizing, and nonprofit leadership—and what it really takes to create change that lasts.Josephine broke advocacy down to its core: it’s not just about influencing systems, it’s about showing up for people. She spoke on the importance of community navigation, meeting individuals where they are, and ensuring that those closest to the challenges are leading the solutions. Her perspective challenged us to think beyond policy and into practice—how service, trust, and consistency build real impact.This session is a reminder that leadership isn’t loud—it’s steady. It’s built through action, relationships, and a commitment to lifting others as you move forward.Watch, reflect, and take something with you—because when advocacy is done right, it doesn’t just change systems. It changes lives.#UnlockHigherEducation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/unlockhighereducation] #JusticeImpacted [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/justiceimpacted] #CommunityLeadership [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/communityleadership] #AdvocacyInAction [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/advocacyinaction] #ReentrySupport [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/reentrysupport] #HigherEdForAll [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/higheredforall] #SystemChange [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/systemchange] #VoicesThatMatter [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/voicesthatmatter]

UHE's February Speaker's Series with Dr. Basia Skudrick

In this month’s Unlock Higher Education Coalition Meeting, we welcomed Dr. Basia Skudrick, PhD, who shared her journey from incarceration to academic success and leadership. She discussed the systemic barriers justice-impacted individuals face in accessing education and sustainable employment, and emphasized the power of mentorship, support networks, and self-acceptance.Dr. Basia also highlighted her work as Director of Howard University’s NSF Bridges to Bachelorette Program, a model providing structured pathways from associate to bachelor’s degrees for returning citizens. Her insights underscored the importance of connecting universities with corporations, creating meaningful opportunities, and centering students in reentry-focused programs.This session reminds us that higher education is more than a credential—it’s a tool for transformation, empowerment, and community impact.Watch, learn, and be inspired by how resilience, education, and support can change lives.#UnlockHigherEducation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/unlockhighereducation] #ReentrySuccess [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/reentrysuccess] #JusticeImpactedScholars [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/justiceimpactedscholars] #HigherEdForAll [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/higheredforall] #MentorshipMatters [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mentorshipmatters] #PathwaysToSuccess [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/pathwaystosuccess] #BreakingChainsBuildingFutures [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/breakingchainsbuildingfutures] #EducationIsLiberation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/educationisliberation]

UHE's January Speaker's Series with Noah Bein - Director of Justice Policy and Advocacy - JFF

🎙️ Noah Bein – Director of Justice Policy & Advocacy at Jobs for the Future (JFF), working at the intersection of justice, workforce mobility, and policy reform. Noah leads state and federal efforts to remove barriers facing people with criminal records, with a portfolio spanning youth justice, reentry, and large-scale legislative change—grounded in both data and lived realities.In this session of the Unlock Higher Education Speaker Series, we explore how policy decisions shape access to education and economic opportunity, and what it actually takes to turn reform into results for justice-impacted learners.🔗 Register here:https://conta.cc/3IG0tDH [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbHVwUUpwRjlMLXNoOUxiYmF5OFFxX0VyWTRjZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttYkhXcU5SOHBacDNhYUw3SVRoRFlSbGhHMHJtcmRxMlltM2tRbjRxaU1MMmdnYWNVQUdiQUowYTMyY3Iyb2VmN1c2VVVlYWRLNEtibmtPQ0tDZThYSHhRWXJrMWlwdUFPczlsWllQWUE2VEd2NS1SZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fconta.cc%2F3IG0tDH&v=iWR4eXA-3CE]📅 Join our next committee meetingHeld the last Monday of every month at 1 PM EST👉 Sign up to attend: https://conta.cc/3DT9giN [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXZKVE80VzhXeXdrOE5URzFpaWhETDlmUVgxUXxBQ3Jtc0ttUFRFd1pjNm9TS1o2Vk9HYVN6Wmx2ZXV6VVdqNmFBNkFRaENiaUY3ajNHVWd3VVc3ZjAyQjVfV1NSb2Uwa2ppUTNPWFNxQ2JMcXVEYkZQdEYxLXhDcVFqbWRqRGo3WVB2V2ZOeEotbXVCTHZ3QXNkdw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fconta.cc%2F3DT9giN&v=iWR4eXA-3CE]🙌 Want to get involved?Join one of our dynamic committees in Membership, Fundraising, Advocacy, Events, or Media & Messaging:👉 https://conta.cc/3mXx6VJ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDJyVXZ6R1NWbDZoUVRFUW92c2J3Tjd0UzRtQXxBQ3Jtc0trNnZhcC1yS0t4Ty1palVTaThjckx1WUZfQzBETGtOZmdfMXFOMlRlQjBUOFdXSkNaTG1DakhmVDgtU000MW1yWmQwYkNwRWtzSnR4QmtIa0piY2tLelNUUzJsRm02LW4wZkk1bV9tMHoyN0M4cUR5RQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fconta.cc%2F3mXx6VJ&v=iWR4eXA-3CE]#UnlockHigherEducation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/unlockhighereducation] #JusticePolicy [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/justicepolicy] #WorkforceMobility [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/workforcemobility] #Reentry [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/reentry] #HigherEducationInPrison [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/highereducationinprison] #CriminalJusticeReform [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/criminaljusticereform] #PolicyInAction [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/policyinaction] #SecondChanceEducation [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/secondchanceeducation]

UHE's December Speaker's Series: End of Year Address

This month, we’re breaking from our regular Speaker Series to spotlight our incredible Committee Chairs. Led by our Director, Judith Negron, they will present their plans for the upcoming year, setting the stage for UHE’s vision and initiatives in 2025. It’s a perfect opportunity to catch up, share your insights, and help shape the future of Unlock Higher Education. Learn more about our work at https://www.unlockhighered.org/, and submit any questions to mickey@prisontopor.org. Remember, next month's meeting will be January 26th at 1:00 Eastern Standard Time, but we normally meet on the last Monday of the month! Sign up at https://conta.cc/3DT9giNExplore opportunities to join our dynamic committees in Membership, Fundraising, Advocacy, Events, or Media. Sign up at: https://conta.cc/3mXx6VJ.