Please join the Center for American Progress’ Reel Progress program for a screening of “The 50.” This impactful documentary tells the story of a groundbreaking mental health program in a California prison that showed remarkable results in combating recidivism, told intimately through the lens of the program’s first 50 participants. A deeply moving exploration into trauma, healing, and redemption, “The 50” spotlights a group of unlikely heroes and their extraordinary transformations—illuminating timely issues of social justice, prison reform, mental health, and addiction. This award-winning film highlights some of the many efforts states are making to support directly impacted people as they strive toward a second chance at rebuilding their lives after time spent in the system.
Watch the trailer for the film here: “The 50” trailer
The film will be followed by a discussion moderated by Akua Amaning, director of Criminal Justice Reform at CAP, that features Brenton Gieser, director of “The 50”; Sol Irving, co-founder of the Offender Mentor Certification Program; and one of the subjects of the film, Al Roensch, a certified drug and alcohol counselor. They will discuss the film and the impact of the Offender Mentor Certification Program on criminal justice reform.