Notes From the FCHEP Symposium
Last Thursday and Friday, I had the privilege of attending the Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (FCHEP) Symposium at the University of Central Florida. I came back feeling energized and more motivated than ever about the work we do at Exchange for Change.
What struck me most was the warmth in the room. There is something special about being surrounded by people driven by the same belief — that education is a fundamental human right, that every human life holds value, and that real change, personal and societal, starts with access to learning.
The symposium kicked off Thursday evening with a reception and networking, followed by opening remarks from Peter Fulks and Alec Griffin, two California-based academics who have done remarkable work expanding access to higher education inside correctional facilities. Their stories set a powerful tone for what was ahead.
Friday morning started with a team-building activity led by Suzanne Costello, an artist who also teaches inside prisons. It was fun, creative, and genuinely eye-opening. It reminded me how important it is to truly listen to one another — to give people our full presence and attention. Simple, but something we don’t always do.
The rest of the day had two panels. The first brought together a mix of voices — a nonprofit leader who had been formerly incarcerated, an advocate for people with disabilities in prison environments, and others. The second was all women who had been formerly incarcerated, speaking about their experiences inside, the process of reentry, and the specific challenges women face in this system. Their honesty was humbling.
What I’ll take with me most is the sense of community. Exchange for Change is not working alone — there is a whole network of educators, advocates, artists, and organizers out there who care deeply about the same things we do. That is a good feeling.
If you haven’t heard of FCHEP yet, I encourage you to check them out at cah.ucf.edu/fchep. The work they’re doing to expand higher education access in Florida’s prisons is exactly the kind of coalition-building that makes lasting change possible.