It’s with a very heavy heart that we announce the sudden and tragic loss of beloved NPEP graduate Michael Broadway.
Michael Broadway was a loving, other-centered, and brilliant bright light. A son, brother, father, grandfather, partner, friend, classmate, mentor, role model, scholar, creative, author, teaching assistant, and peacemaker, he was known for his generosity of spirit and signature smile that lit up the room.
Michael was guided by his moral compass and exuded wisdom and thoughtfulness in everything he did. He approached every barrier with grace, with his determination and resilience on full display when he didn’t let the loss of a close family member and a stage four prostate cancer diagnosis stop him from graduating from Northwestern University in November of 2023, making history as one of the first incarcerated students in the United States to graduate from a
top-ten university.
Michael was a beloved member of the Northwestern Prison Education Program (NPEP) community. NPEP Director Jennifer Lackey reflects on how Michael “brought radiance to everything he touched” and Professor Sheila Bedi remembers how with every barrier in front of him, Michael “acted as if it were possible to radically change the world” and taught her “how connection and community can be created and affirmed with a smile and a dap.” Professor D.
Soyini Madison recalls how “Michael had the capacity to listen completely and intensely. Sometimes he seemed frozen in the service of listening. This is extraordinary and delightful because deep listeners are rare. Michael was a focused listener to everyone, and he made his classmates feel like they were being heard and respected.” Fellow NPEP graduate Demetrice
Crite describes Michael as “the epitome of someone you can always go to. It would never be about him, it would always be about you and what your needs are.” And when his classmate and friend, James Soto, was released from prison, Michael’s first words to him were, “Seeing you on TV made me cry. Knowing you made it out was like I made it out—like we all made it out.”
See the first comment for the rest of our tribute to Michael and funeral details.
This Father’s Day, NPEP honors student Oliver Crawford and graduate Taurean Decatur’s dedication and commitment to building strong relationships with their children while incarcerated.
Swipe through to hear more about the lessons they’ve learned and specific ways they support their kids.
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#highereducation#npep#northwestern#education#prison#racidivism#secondchance#prisonreform
Congratulations to recent NPEP graduate, Benard McKinley, on his acceptance to @northwesternlaw !
More on Benard's story from @thedailynu :
In 2004, a judge told then-19-year-old Benard McKinley he would spend his next 97 birthdays behind bars. Last month, however, McKinley turned 39 as a free man and opened a hard-won birthday gift: an acceptance letter from Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law.
“I can never measure up to what I’ve taken,” McKinley said. “However, this is a start to allow me to show that I’m committed to the positive transformation of my community.”
McKinley said studying the law allowed him to find his purpose: opening a legal clinic. He’s one step closer to his goal with his recent acceptance to Pritzker, he said.
Read more about Benard at the link in our bio.
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📸: @monikaawnuk#highereducation#northwestern#education#prison#recidivism#secondchance#prisonreform
Call For Justice Fellow Applications!
Deadline: Wednesday, April 3, 2024
In 2024, NPEP will be welcoming five new Justice Fellows for a one-year term of leadership in our program.
Justice Fellows must have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system and will be given opportunities to draw upon their lived experiences and expertise to inform NPEP’s work.
Interested? Learn more by reading our post and applying via the link in our bio.
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#highereducation#npep#northwestern#education#prison#recidivism#secondchance#prisonreform
