Growing Up Rikers, Then and Now

Panel Discussion: Growing Up Rikers, Then and Now

On February 19th, we will be hosting an intergenerational panel discussion on the impact of Rikers Island on young people in New York City.

The evening will begin with a panel featuring individuals who have firsthand experience with Rikers and the NYC legal system as adolescents and young adults, sharing their journeys and perspectives. Following this, a panel of advocates and service providers will discuss the current landscape of programs designed to support at-risk and system-involved youth.

To conclude, all panelists will come together for a Q&A session, encouraging audience participation in a dynamic discussion, followed by a youth performance to close the evening. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and explore pathways to liberation.

Helen “Skip” Skipper

Helen Skipper, or Skip as she prefers to be called, has been working in peer support since her final release from years of multiple incarcerations and systems involvement in 2007. She is the Executive Director of the NYC Justice Peer Initiative, a Beyond the Bars 20-21′ Fellow, and an honors graduate of St. Francis College. Skip is pursuing a Master of Arts and moving toward a PhD in Criminology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her criminology work includes acceptance into the American Society of Criminology, where she has presented her original scholarship at their annual meeting for the last 2 years.

She is also a board member and participant of College and Community Fellowship, which works with justice-involved women through community support and access to higher education. Skip has been a part of the Rikers Public Memory Project community since 2023, where she has contributed an oral history interview, served as a Directly Impacted Design Advisor for RPMP’s Mobile Exhibit, and most recently been accepted to the inaugural Rikers Narrative Change Community Fellowship, where she will produce a documentary theater project.

Isaac Scott

Isaac I. Scott is a multidisciplinary visual artist who has been recognized with multiple awards for his creative endeavors. Isaac was ordained in 2018 at God’s Touch Healing Ministry, where he served with dedication for three years as the Associate Pastor. Currently, Isaac is actively engaged in ministry within the African Methodist Episcopal Church, holding a Certificate of License to Preach, where he integrates faith, art, and social justice. Isaac Scott is an experienced community organizer, currently serving as the Director of Community Initiatives at Another Choice Youth and Family Outreach Inc. and the Chairperson for the Human Services Committee at Manhattan Community Board 11. His leadership as President of the Justice Arts Coalition and his ongoing service on the National Religious Campaign Against Torture’s Prison Program Advisory Council highlight his deep understanding of the intricacies of both the prison and reentry systems

Luz Hernandez

Luz Hernandez, also known as Luz Tha Goddess or “Sunshine,” is a passionate activist, advocate, artist, and photographer who was born in Queens and raised in the South Bronx and is dedicated to empowering marginalized communities. Drawing from her own transformative experiences of incarceration and systemic injustice, Luz’s journey is a testament to the power of art and advocacy in breaking toxic cycles and fostering healing.

She is currently publishing A Fractured Menace, a powerful poetry collection that delves deep into her incarceration, exploring harrowing themes of gang violence, gun violence, human trafficking, child abuse, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Through her evocative words, Luz invites readers into her world, revealing the complexities of survival and resilience.

As an intern at Justice Ambassadors at Columbia University, she is actively crafting policy proposals with elected officials, aiming to reshape the narratives surrounding justice-involved individuals. Luz is also a dynamic presence in her community, voluntarily hosting open mics at Youth Justice Network, where she collaborates with organizations like Fortune Society, Reform, and others to advocate for criminal justice reform. These events serve as vital safe spaces for artists to express themselves and heal from the trauma of incarceration and prior life experiences.

Her photography project, Meet Me at the Crossroads, confronts uncomfortable truths and challenges societal labels, showcasing the human stories behind high-profile and low-profile cases. This impactful work will be displayed at the renowned Benrubi Art Gallery, offering a visual narrative that underscores the strength and resilience of those who have been justice-impacted.

Through her multifaceted work, Luz hopes to battle parole justice, end mass incarceration, and support individuals with high-profile cases in successfully reentering society. By garnering support for reentry groups, destigmatizing individuals with high-profile charges, and helping them reunify with their families and meet their basic needs, she aims to prevent further incarceration and foster a sense of belonging.

With a heart dedicated to spreading love and positivity, Luz strives to change the perspectives of those in authority within the criminal justice system while uplifting others who have faced similar challenges. Her son is the driving force behind her relentless advocacy; her battle to reclaim him inspires her to help everyone she can. Luz makes it a priority to infuse every space she enters with warmth and compassion, ensuring she puts a smile on everyone’s face. She makes sure everyone knows that vulnerability is strength.

Naquasia Jones

Naquasia Pollard is an advocate, activist and direct service provider. She has been deeply involved in movements for social justice drawing upon her own experience – 15 years of incarceration in a Women’s Correctional Facility at the age of 19 and being pregnant on Rikers Island (Rosie M. Singer). Upon her release in October 2017 she went to work at the Ladies of Hope Ministries where she utilized her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and Minor in Psychology, earned in prison, to support women impacted by incarceration. Her personal and professional goals are connected to her own experiences with systems that were supposed to support her but instead have failed her. As a result, Naquasia is deeply committed to supporting women and young girls impacted by systemic failures.

While working at the Ladies of Hope Ministries, Naquasia became more involved in advocacy and direct services for women and young girls, using a trauma-centered approach to support them in their journey towards healing and restoration. In 2018, Naquasia founded Pure Legacee Inc., an organization providing a healing haven for young girls to break generational barriers and develop community leaders. She is also a part of the Beyond Rosies campaign and Herstories documentary. Naquasia is involved in the Probation and Parole Reform Project with Columbia University. In 2021, she was part of the FACES Speakers Bureau to lift the voices of formerly incarcerated people as agents of change. Naquasia is an alumnus of Women Influencing Systems and History through Community College Fellowship to train women to be organizers and advocate against mass incarceration.

She is a Reform Alliance Ambassador for New York and has been a certified Credible Messenger since 2019 through The New School, where she currently teaches and prepares other Credible Messengers in New York City.