Women, Prison and Justice Reform: Featuring Piper Kerman, Best-selling author of Orange is the New Black

What is it like for a woman serving time in a prison?  Why do some people end up in prison and others do not, even when committing the same kind of crime?  While incarcerated Piper Kerman learned lessons from her fellow inmates that will remain with her forever.   Piper Kerman, best-selling author of Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison will be on campus Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.

Her memoir was adapted for the popular Netflix Series of the same name.  Piper Kerman committed a crime; she served a year in prison; she learned how to survive; and she came out with a purpose – to advocate for prison justice reform.  She now serves on the board of the Women’s Prison Association.

Merrimack College is bringing her story and her advocacy for prison reform to campus with four separate events during March:

  • March 4 – there will be a book group discussion meeting in McQuade Library at 3:30 p.m.  All are invited to join in the discussion of Piper Kerman’s Orange is the New Black.  The Merrimack College Bookstore has copies of the book and McQuade Library has a copy on reserve.
  • March 26 – an opportunity for participants of the book group discussion to attend a Q and A session with Piper Kerman at the Writer’s House at 3:30 p.m. 
  • March 26 – Piper Kerman will speak on “Women, Prison and Justice Reform” in the Sakowich Campus Center MPR at 7:00 p.m.  The event is free and open to ALL. 
  • March 27 – view the film Cruel and Unusual, an award-winning documentary on race and gender injustice in prison in McQuade Library Auditorium at 6:00 p.m.

These events are sponsored by The Women’s and Gender Studies Department in collaboration with the Departments of Criminology, Sociology, Psychology, World Languages and Cultures, The Merrimack Program Board, Office of Student Involvement, the Writing Center, Campus Life, and McQuade Library.

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