Last Fall, the president of the Latin American Spanish Speaking Organization (LASSO) at the Cooper Street Correctional Facility in Jackson, Michigan reached out to JSRI in hopes of establishing a relationship that would yield learning opportunities for inmates. JSRI answered the call and applied for volunteer status. After clearing background checks in January, Juan Coronado and Barry Lewis began to meet twice a month with the inmates.

LASSO members expressed interest in learning more about their Latino heritage. They asked for lectures on Latino history and on current issues that impact Latinos and inmates alike. Barry Lewis, a graduate student in Social Work and a Research Assistant at JSRI, has been designing a tool-kit that will provide helpful resources for LASSO members to use upon being released.
On average, between 35-60 inmates gather for each meeting and respectfully listen to the lectures and ask questions. It has been probably the most appreciative audience I have ever had as each of them thanks us and shakes our hand upon the conclusion of each meeting. The highlight in the Spring was the Cinco de Mayo celebration LASSO held on the evening of Saturday, May 6. The group held games, enjoyed live music, listened to a guest speaker, and engaged in other activities. On that visit I gave a short talk on the history and significance of Cinco de Mayo to a group of about 150 inmates from different ethnic backgrounds.  

On average, between 35-60 inmates gather for each meeting and respectfully listen to the lectures and ask questions. It has been probably the most appreciative audience I have ever had as each of them thanks us and shakes our hand upon the conclusion of each meeting. The highlight in the Spring was the Cinco de Mayo celebration LASSO held on the evening of Saturday, May 6. The group held games, enjoyed live music, listened to a guest speaker, and engaged in other activities. On that visit I gave a short talk on the history and significance of Cinco de Mayo to a group of about 150 inmates from different ethnic backgrounds. 

The program is continuing this Fall and has been uplifting to the men by providing them something to look forward to each month. This is important outreach to a population often overlooked in today’s punitive society. With the budget cuts experienced at all levels of government due to the impact of neoliberal policies, correctional facilities and prisoners are in dire need of positive interactions that can contribute to the rehabilitation of prisoners. The goal is to educate and deepen participants’ understanding of their rich Latino heritage, and how it contributes to and shapes the larger society. By better understanding their heritage, it is expected that program participants will have a greater purpose in life and pursue successful re-entry into the larger society upon release from prison.