Our Mission

To build safer communities, we must reimagine the public’s relationship to those most affected by the justice system.

Proximity for Justice is a nonprofit dedicated to mass decarceration by helping incarcerated individuals gain the necessary skills and relationships to reenter society successfully. Through transformative TEDx events inside of prisons, Proximity for Justice amplifies incarcerated voices, fosters meaningful connections between people on both sides of prison walls, and mobilizes the public to advocate for justice system change.

The Need

Mass incarceration impacts millions and leaves the incarcerated lacking necessary resources for a successful reentry.

The United States has…

4% of the global population
25% of the world’s prison population
(nearly 2 million people)

Over 95% of people in prison will eventually return home, but most do so without access to education, job training, or leadership development.

In 2024, the Department of Justice rescinded over $800 million in funding for reentry programs, stripping access for hundreds of thousands.

Our Theory of Change

Challenge
public perceptions and dismantle harmful stereotypes of incarceration

Increase
community access to prisons to foster transparency and connection

Leverage
insights from those most affected to drive solutions to mass incarceration

Our History

The foundation of Proximity for Justice was laid by two men directly impacted by incarceration.

Our story starts in 2012 at Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio. Dan and Wayne, two men incarcerated there, discovered TED talks, and quickly became hooked.

Upon learning that a young woman was organizing a local version of TEDx nearby at Ohio State, they reached out to her, asking if she'd help them get the program up and running in the prison.

They wanted to show a 360 degree view of the criminal justice system, with speakers including incarcerated people alongside prison administrators and survivors of crime. Half of the audience would be outside community leaders, and half would be incarcerated people.

Dan and Wayne’s first TEDxMarionCorrectional event was in September 2012.

They knew they were onto something, and wanted to do more.

In January 2013, Delia Cohen, a consultant for TED, was intrigued to learn about the TEDxMarion Correctional event. She tracked down the organizers for a conference call that left her feeling inspired and called to experience what they’d created in person.

The following April, Delia attended their second event on behalf of TED—her first time inside of a prison. Immersed for two days in perspective-altering conversations with incarcerated men, security guards, the prison warden, and community members, Delia began to dream about what would be possible if Dan and Wayne's vision could be duplicated in prisons around the country.

Over the following months, Delia, Dan, and Wayne began an honest and intimate dialogue about their crimes and the circumstances that led to them. Over letters and phone calls, they came to know each other not just as colleagues and co-organizers, but as whole people.

As Delia grappled with the harm of their crimes, she also came to see that Dan and Wayne were far more than their worst mistakes. Over two decades, they had grown into entirely different people.

This journey of relationship-building became the foundation of Proximity for Justice: the belief that storytelling has the power to bridge the gap between people in prison and those with the influence to change systems and narratives, opening a pathway toward decarceration and a more just world.

Our TEDx Partnership

Proximity for Justice is anchored in a year-long leadership and coaching model based on professional speaker preparation.

As a separate and independent entity, Proximity for Justice depends on the generous support of foundations and individuals to produce and promote these events.

Our Impact

Our events have increased public engagement, influenced policy decisions, informed clemency decisions, and created life-changing opportunities for speakers that go beyond the events themselves.

Attendees of Proximity for Justice events have shared…

“I met someone who employs the previously incarcerated and I would like to explore that as I am a manager responsible for hiring.”

“Would love to connect about hosting a similar event targeted at Missouri lawmakers.”

“I understand that Phil is eligible for release soon…I am willing to submit a letter on his behalf to help expedite his release.”

Participants of Proximity for Justice events have shared…

“The network that I got connected to through TEDx event has gave me confidence to know people want me to succeed after my release.”

“This experience helped me grow and provided healing that I was not even aware that I still needed.”

“This has given me a profound sense of fulfillment and direction, and none of it would be possible without Proximity for Justice.”

Who We Are

Vision architect Delia Cohen specializes in turning extraordinary ideas -- involving the arts, cutting-edge technology, and new media -- into reality. The common theme of her projects? They all attempt to make the world a better place.

Notable endeavors include running the messaging department at the Clinton White House during impeachment and transition; helping organize the first and second Clinton Global Initiatives; producing Richard Avedon’s last work, a photo-essay on democracy for The New Yorker; rebranding Goldie Hawn’s education foundation; managing Nokia’s $1 million global investment challenge; and pulling together in 15 months an extremely ambitious TED Prize project – a global film event called Pangea Day.

However, Delia’s most interesting, challenging, and rewarding work has been in criminal justice reform. For the last decade, Delia has been leveraging her unique network of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, correctional leadership, activists, entertainers, and entrepreneurs to organize TEDx events in prisons around the United States. With Delia’s guidance, incarcerated people, correctional officers, prison administrators, and community members collaboratively plan and curate each event. Following Bryan Stevenson’s call for advancing justice through proximity, half of the attendees are community leaders and half are incarcerated. Numerous attendees have found the experience unforgettable and transformative, spurring a wave of criminal justice activism and philanthropy. Shared on the TEDx YouTube channel, videos from the prison events have gone viral across the globe and comprise an unprecedented archive of authentic voices and ideas for criminal justice reform.

Delia lives in upstate New York in an 18th-century Dutch Colonial farmhouse with her dogs Buddy and Bella.

Advisors