Women in Reentry Day: Free Our Mothers

May 4, 2018

 

For Mother’s Day last year, we were honored to host the Welcome Home Dinner for a group of women bailed out of jail by a newly coalesced group of grassroots volunteers. Since that time, that motley crew has evolved into the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund while here at Broad Street Ministry, our dedication and services geared towards people coming out of incarceration has also deepened. On this anniversary, we invite you to join us in celebrating that growth, as well as the powerful experiences of formerly incarcerated women.

Not only will we once again be hosting the Mother’s Day Welcome Home Dinner, but we are also hosting a two-day Women In Reentry event celebrating the success stories of formerly incarcerated women and welcoming home this year’s Mother’s Day bail out recipients. The proceedings begin the evening of Wednesday, May 9 with an art opening and reception, and continue the next day (Thursday, May 10) with speakers outside of City Hall and a brief march to Broad Street Ministry where we will be hosting a symposium on women in re-entry. Both events are free and open to the public, and the artwork will remain on display in our Sanctuary through Friday, May 11.

Broad Street Ministry recognizes that pre-trial detention is costly, forcing people into jail for weeks, months, sometimes years before their trial simply for being too poor to post bail. We also recognize that even a few days in jail can risk people on the margins their homes, their jobs, relationships with family and friends and—as we’ve tragically seen with people like Sandra Bland and Michael Robinson—sometimes even their lives. We believe that part of keeping our communities safe means ensuring fair treatment for all while fostering opportunities for redemption and transformation.

Special thanks to the organizers and collaborators of this event: Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, the Philadelphia Women in Reentry and the People’s Paper Co-op

Both events are free and open to the public.

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