During an election year with over two million Americans currently incarcerated, BEYOND BARS exposes the continuing impact of white supremacy, all through the powerful story of former San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin and his family.

A Q&A session follows the film with Makeda Davis and Dr. Alethea Taylor.

Makeda Davis‘s story is nothing short of remarkable—an inspiring journey of resilience, determination, and triumph over adversity. From the challenges of teenage motherhood to the devastating loss of her father, who was murdered when she was just 7 years old, Makeda’s life has been a testament to her strength and unwavering commitment to creating a stable and fulfilling life for her family.  Becoming a mother at 17, Makeda faced the responsibilities of parenthood with extraordinary courage, navigating the complexities of life, to provide for her daughter.  At the age of 26, Makeda experienced a shocking turn of events in her journey when she was unexpectedly sentenced to 9.5 years in prison following an unfortunate incident at a nightclub.  This harsh reality was something she never saw coming. Despite being a first-time offender, she was initially offered a 2-year sentence but decided to take her case to trial. Unfortunately, the outcome was far worse, as she received a sentence that was more than four times longer than the original offer.  After serving ten months in a maximum security prison Makeda was released on bail pending her appeal. Subsequently, Makeda’s indictment was dismissed a huge win. This was a moment
of relief for her. However, her sense of freedom was short-lived, as the dismissal was reversed over three years later. This unexpected turn of events left Makeda devastated, as she had already made significant progress in her personal and professional life but was remanded back to prison to complete the remainder of her sentence.  This experience became a catalyst for her commitment to transforming her life and advocating for much-needed change in education and the justice system.

Dr. Alethea Taylor, CRC, serves as the Executive Director of Hour Children, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women. Additionally, she is an adjunct assistant professor at Hunter College School of Education in the department of Educational Foundations and Counseling. Previously, Alethea was the Executive Director at Greenhope Services for Women, where she served women with substance use and mental health disorders who had been formerly incarcerated. With 30 years of professional experience, her expertise spans management coaching, staff development, university teaching, and advocacy within the criminal justice community.  Currently, Alethea focuses on coaching middle management women of color who are formerly incarcerated. Alethea serves on the Correctional Association of New York’s advisory committee, the Women Community Justice Association Taskforce, and The Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform, contributing to decisions regarding the closure of Rikers Island jail.  In 2013, she was recognized as a Fellow of New York University’s Research for Leadership in Action’s inaugural IGNITE Fellowship for Women of Color in the Social Sector. Alethea has been actively involved in various initiatives and committees, including the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, Justice Implementation Task Force Working Group on Culture Change and as a consultant to the New York Women Foundation Justice Initiative. She has served as a liaison for the New York City Alternative to Incarceration Coalition, and as a member of the NY County Behavioral Health Diversion Forum. Alethea was also part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s executive committee for the “Work for Success” employment initiative for the formerly incarcerated, and she co-chaired the Manhattan Recovery Community Coalition.