Bridging the Gap for Justice
Proximity for Justice is a nonprofit dedicated to mass decarceration by helping incarcerated individuals gain the necessary skills and relationships to reenter society successfully and become productive, law-abiding, and taxpaying citizens, thus increasing public safety for everyone. We bring CEOs, community leaders, victims of crime, philanthropists, law enforcement, public policy makers, academics, and formerly incarcerated people together inside prisons with those who live and work there in events designed to encourage dialogue, forge connections, and inspire change.
TEDxSanQuentin
11+ million views
25 Talks
167 translations in 37 languages
TEDxIronwoodStatePrison
7+ million views
39 Talks
217 translations in 22 languages
Advisors
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Delia Cohen
FOUNDER
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Lenore Anderson
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Neil Barsky
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Lawrence Bartley
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Sunny Bates
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Scott Budnick
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Curtis “Wall Street” Carroll
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James "JC" Cavitt
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Elizabeth Gaynes
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Philip Melendez
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Taylor Milsal
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Zach Moore
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Dan Pacholke
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Anne Rice
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Judith O. Rubin
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Robert E. Rubin
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Mark Anthony Taylor
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John Wetzel
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Earlonne Woods
Robert E. Rubin, 70th US Secretary of the Treasury, shaking hand of Philip Melendez, incarcerated emcee of TEDxSanQuentin.
“Judy and I were inside the gates for five hours, and it was a remarkable human experience. The incarcerated men we met – and there were many – were thoughtful (more so than many in the NY world we live in). If enough people could have the experience we had, our disgraceful and economically counterproductive criminal justice system would get the massive reform it needs.”
“DOCCS is using my talk as part of their suicide prevention efforts. It can be found on all New York State Prisoners tablets... I often refer to the day of the event as the pinnacle of my rehabilitative process.”