“Our creative minds burst like piñatas when tapped into, for without creativity there would be no color in our bleak environment,” writes one Odyssey Beyond Bars student. “I write to find myself,” adds another, “and …
Odyssey Beyond Bars
Meet OBB trailblazer Jean Feraca
“Teaching in prison has been the most democratizing experience of my life,” says award-winning journalist and Odyssey cofounder Jean Feraca. She adds, “It cuts me down to size while it equalizes and exalts me. It …
Building on a Record-Breaking Year
“Because of Odyssey Beyond Bars, I found hope and the pathway to becoming a better man and father,” wrote one incarcerated learner at Oakhill Correctional Institution. So much has happened in the five years since …
Odyssey Beyond Bars: Communities benefit from prison education program
This article is part of a series celebrating 20 years of the Odyssey Project. Follow along as we remember where we’ve been and look forward to where we’re going. After serving 38 years in …
One year out: OBB alum pursues graduate degree, community mentorship
In December 2021, alum Robert Taliaferro had a lot to look forward to. He was celebrating the end of a successful semester with Odyssey Beyond Bars, writing a feature for the Prison Journalism Project — and completing the last of his 38 years in prison.
Correcting the Narrative: Celebrating community success stories
At Odyssey Beyond Bars, we know that connecting people with high-quality education in prison equips them with tools for lifelong success — and we were thrilled to celebrate some of those successes at the Second Annual Correcting the Narrative Awards.
UW CHEP director’s letter – November 2022
Our alums remind us that returning home isn’t easy, and successes are sometimes interrupted by setbacks. Ongoing support is key to making sure the good days outnumber the bad. Our new Odyssey Beyond Bars Success Coach, Mike Exum, helps students navigate the inevitable struggles of reentry and provides a voice of encouragement in tough times.
Odyssey Beyond Bars Library brings the gift of books to Wisconsin prisons
Caption: Books from the OBB Library collection on their way to prisons around the state “Freedom begins with a book.” — Reginald Dwayne Betts, a formerly incarcerated Yale-educated lawyer, poet and founder of Freedom Reads Peter …
New enrichment classes build educational momentum
“We make a choice each moment that affects the rest of our lives and the lives of everyone around us. The decision is about whether we are the situation we are in — or if …
UW CHEP director’s letter
Caption: Students from OBB’s English 100 course at Oakhill, spring 2022 In May, Odyssey Beyond Bars (OBB) concluded an incredible semester of growth in which we offered courses in three new prisons, in addition to …