By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
A film screening at Birmingham’s Sidewalk Cinema became a conversation about second chances, the lasting effects of incarceration and what it takes to rebuild a life after prison.
Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, in partnership with the Just Trust, hosted the two-night event “Justice & the Next 250 in Alabama” on Oct. 7-8, bringing films and conversations about criminal justice and public safety to Birmingham.
The second night, Thursday, Oct. 8, featured a screening of Leaving Angola, an award-winning documentary exploring redemption, peer mentorship and the challenges of reentry through the experiences of two men incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as Angola.
After the film, Justin Singleton, one of the film’s featured subjects, joined Alabama Appleseed’s Ronald McKeithen to discuss his experiences in prison, the obstacles he faced after release, and the importance of investing in people rather than defining them by their past.
McKeithen, who spent 37 years incarcerated in Alabama, brought his own perspective to the conversation, drawing connections between Singleton’s experiences and the realities faced by people navigating the criminal justice system.
“Being in prison is not who he is. It’s just where he is,” Singleton said while discussing Derek, another man featured in the film who remains incarcerated.
Singleton’s remarks underscored a central theme of the evening: A person’s circumstances do not have to determine who they become.
Mentorship changes lives
Singleton said his path toward mentoring other incarcerated men began unexpectedly while he was in a parish prison in Louisiana.
At 23, he had a high school diploma and acknowledged that his own reading skills were limited. However, he discovered that other incarcerated men faced even greater educational barriers.
One man, whom Singleton identified as Chuck, frequently approached him for conversation despite a reputation for fighting and disruptive behavior.
Singleton eventually learned that Chuck could not read when the man asked him to read a letter from his mother.
Although Singleton doubted his own abilities, he offered to help.
The two began with the alphabet and simple words, gradually working toward reading complete sentences. After months of practice, Chuck successfully read his first short paragraph.
Singleton recalled that Chuck was so excited by the accomplishment that he called other men out of their cells, apologized to those he had mistreated and shared what he had learned.
The experience changed Singleton’s understanding of education and mentorship.
“I realized that his inability to read caused him to put up a defense for something else,” Singleton said.
He said he began to recognize how educational opportunities could influence behavior and help people develop a different understanding of themselves.
That realization eventually led him to invest more deeply in his own education and mentor others. He later continued that work at Angola, where he also pursued seminary studies.
Singleton said helping another incarcerated man earn a GED further solidified his commitment. Seeing the man recognize his own progress gave Singleton a sense of fulfillment that motivated him to continue mentoring.
Life after incarceration
Singleton also discussed the difficulties he encountered after his release, despite his educational accomplishments.
He said he earned three degrees, an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree, along with 11 certifications across two industries. Still, he struggled to find employment.
After submitting about 60 applications, receiving about 40 callbacks, and attending nearly two dozen interviews, he kept facing rejection.
Eventually, an HVAC company gave him an opportunity. Although he initially lacked experience in the field, Singleton worked his way up and now manages the installation department for the corporation.
He also shared personal milestones, including purchasing a home and watching his daughter graduate from college and get married.
His experience illustrated how employment opportunities can help people establish stability after incarceration.
Singleton emphasized that successful reentry also requires a supportive community. Some people returning home have strained family relationships or limited access to resources, he said. Others return to the same environments where they previously struggled, making it more difficult to build a different life. He argued that people need individuals who will encourage their progress, hold them accountable and intervene when they begin making harmful decisions.
The next 250 years
The discussion also turned to the future of corrections and what meaningful criminal justice reform could look like.
Singleton said the system should focus on helping people become productive members of society rather than simply keeping them incarcerated.
“The Department of Corrections should be set up where when an individual is not operating in a way that they’re supposed to operate, that’s the place that’s supposed to help them become a better citizen,” he said.
He argued that addressing substance use, mental health needs and educational gaps could help reduce the circumstances that contribute to incarceration and repeat involvement with the criminal justice system.
He also identified mandatory minimum sentencing as a concern, explaining that predetermined sentences can limit consideration of individual circumstances and disproportionately affect Black and brown people.
For Singleton, the conversation was not simply about what happens inside prison walls. It was also about the opportunities, relationships and resources available to people before incarceration and after their release.
He acknowledged that the effects of incarceration extend beyond the person serving time, affecting parents, children and other loved ones who experience the separation and uncertainty alongside them.
When asked how he manages the anger associated with the years he lost, Singleton said he recognizes the harm without allowing resentment to consume him.
“Resentment is poison,” he said. “Doesn’t mean it’s not warranted. But the longer you hold on to it, it doesn’t affect the people that you resent. It affects you.”
The two-night event was part of a broader national initiative inviting Americans to consider the future of justice and public safety as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary.
Through Leaving Angola and the conversation that followed, Singleton and McKeithen challenged attendees to consider what justice might look like when rehabilitation, education and human dignity are treated as essential parts of the process.
For more on Alabama Appleseed, visit alabamaappleseed.org.
Source: www.birminghamtimes.com
