Joseph Bell Jr., former lwop (Life without the possibility of parole), commuted to 25 to life by Governor Jerry Brown in 2018 and resentenced to 12 years and 10 months in 2020 under Penal Code 1170d. After serving 24 years and 10 months I was released on May 13, 2020 and subject to three years of parole. I worked for Felton Institute’s Justice Services Division for two and a half years. I started as a Peer Support Specialist and was promoted to a Case Manager where I assisted system impacted individuals mentally challenged individuals with linkages to resources, life skills, and overall remove barriers that could hold them back from being stable in society. I have been working for Human Rights Watch’s National Lwop Leadership Council (NLC) for over three years now. I also work for the Drop Lwop Coalition as a Coordinating Associate. I volunteer when my schedule permits for the M3 (Mentoring Men’s Movement), of San Francisco, United Playaz, and other justice reform organizations.

The Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series is a biweekly program on Alcatraz Island that lifts up and highlights the voices of people who have spent time inside of jails and prisons. The National Park Service believes in parks as platforms for dialogue, and Alcatraz Island, being one of the only NPS sites that interprets mass incarceration, works directly with people who have been affected in order to give them a platform to showcase their stories.

Speaking event starts at 1 PM in the Cellhouse Dining Hall.

For more information on the Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series,or other community outreach initiatives (including ranger-led programs), please contact park ranger Oliver Goodman (oliver_goodman@nps.gov). If you are a community leader working with the formerly incarcerated community and you would like to bring a group to an upcoming program in the series, please email Oliver. If you have any accessibility needs such as ASL translation, please contact goga_accessibility@nps.gov at least 5 days in advance.

Seating is first come first serve. Your island ticket is sufficient for admission, reservations are not required. Seating may be limited.