March 23 – 28, 2026

Beloved Before Bars: Protecting Children Through Care, Belonging, and Nonviolent Accountability

SUNY, Cortland, New York, USA

Free. Family Friendly. Open to the Public.

Co-Chair:
Kyrstin White, Program Coordinator
Multicultural Life and Diversity Office (MLDO)
SUNY, Cortland
E-mail: Kyrstin.White@cortland.edu

Conference Purpose

Beloved Behind Bars is a week-long educational experience designed to disrupt the
criminalization and incarceration of children and youth by centering care-focused, community-
based, and nonviolent approaches to accountability. In alignment with SUNY Cortland’s
strategic plan toward a Brighter Future, this conference initiative is grounded in principles of
social and transformative justice. Rooted in the framework of the Beloved Community, the
conference invites the campus community to critically examine existing systems while learning
how to actively promote and sustain alternatives to incarceration that affirm the dignity,
humanity, and potential of our youth.

Summary

The Beloved Behind Bars conference represents more than a week of events—it is a campus and
community commitment to transforming how we support, engage, and uplift our youth. By
centering care, community, and nonviolent approaches to accountability, this initiative seeks to
disrupt the criminalization of children and young people and provide tangible alternatives to
incarceration.

Through a combination of educational sessions, skill-building workshops, reflective dialogues,
and service opportunities, participants will leave with the knowledge, tools, and inspiration to
advocate for youth-centered solutions in their schools, neighborhoods, and professional
spaces. The conference also strengthens campus-community partnerships, amplifies the voices of
those most affected by systemic inequities, and models the principles of the Beloved Community
in action.

With intentional planning, collaboration, and resource stewardship, Beloved Behind Bars has the
potential to transform both participants and the broader systems that impact youth, leaving
a legacy of care, justice, and collective responsibility. This proposal invites SUNY Cortland and
our community partners to join in advancing a vision where every young person is seen, valued,
and supported to thrive—because when our youth are beloved, our future is brighter.

Learning Objectives for Participants will be:

Affirm the inherent worth and humanity of all youth
Critically examine systems that criminalize and marginalize youth
Apply care-centered, nonviolent approaches to accountability
Identify and promote community-based alternatives that support youth well-being
Commit to collective responsibility and interdependence

Financial Breakdown

The financial investment in Beloved Behind Bars reflects a commitment to preventative, care-
centered approaches to youth accountability. By prioritizing equitable compensation,
accessibility, and community collaboration, this conference seeks to model the very alternatives
to incarceration it aims to promote.

Target Audience

SUNY Cortland campus community
Students, faculty, and staff from other SUNY institutions
Community-Based and Grassroots Organizations
Youth-Serving and Justice Adjacent Professionals
Formerly System-Impacted Individuals and Advocates

Key Partners & Participating Organizations

SUNY Cortland Multicultural Life and Diversity Office
Save the Kids from Incarceration – Nonprofit grassroots organization
SUNY Cortland Voice Office Clubs (e.g. Black Student Union, NAACP)
SUNY Cortland Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office
Cortland County Community of Color (C4)
SUNY Cortland Sociology/Anthropology Department
Cortland YWCA
Re-entry Programs (Ithaca Based)
New York State Public Service Office

Conference Structure Overview

Monday, March 23, 2026
Time:
Location:

Opening Social: Hip Hop, Care, and Prevention
An opening community-building social hosted in collaboration with the Good Life Youth
Foundation and the Black Student Union, exploring Hip Hop culture as a tool for prevention,
care-centered intervention, and youth empowerment.

Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Time:
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Short Film Screening & Reflective Discussion
A facilitated film screening and discussion in partnership with the Sociology and Anthropology
Department, examining social justice, systemic inequities, and the school-to-prison pipeline.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Time:
Location:

Let’s Talk: Transformative Action & Re-integration Policies
A dialogue-based session with the NAACP and TBA.

Thursday, March 26, 2026
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Kingian Nonviolence Training
An interactive training led by Dr. Jamel Hudson, introducing Kingian Nonviolence principles as
tools for conflict transformation, accountability, and peaceful social change.

Friday, March 27, 2026
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“You Are Beloved” Care Kit Service Event
A hands-on service initiative where participants assemble care kits for system-impacted youth,
centering dignity, affirmation, and community support as alternatives to punishment.

Saturday, March 28, 2026
Time: 10:00am to 3:30pm
Location:

Save the Kids from Incarceration Educational Conference
A culminating educational conference bringing together campus, community, and state partners
to deepen learning, share strategies, and advance collective action to prevent youth incarceration.

10:00am – Welcoming

10:00am – Panel One

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Q and A

11:30am – Discussion One

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12:30pm – Lunch

1:30pm – Panel Two

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2:30 – Discussion Two

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3:30pm – Ending