Northwestern Insider
Northwestern Insider

EssaysVol. 2, Issue 2

Reflections from Inside

By Sela Breen

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In a classroom, a man in a light blue shirt sits holding papers while a woman in a denim jacket sits beside a camera on a tripod; another person stands at right.
Breen sits down with Tevin Louis as he shares the impact he’s had on his siblings.
A man in a light blue shirt sits at a student desk in a classroom in front of a chalkboard, looking toward a window.
Green looks out the window, replaying a conversation he had about being vulnerable.
An older man with glasses and a gray T-shirt sits on a dark leather couch, resting his head on one hand as he speaks.
Green’s father, Lary, opens up about raising a family while battling external forces.

I was intrigued by NPEP when I started at Northwestern, and admired the program even more after writing a story about it for North by Northwestern. However, I could not begin to understand what the program truly meant until I finally visited Sheridan for the first time as part of Professor Brent Huffman’s Documenting Carceral Injustice class.

Our first visit to Sheridan was in the fall. I was a bit apprehensive, as I expect many would be when entering a prison for the first time, but any bit of fear was quickly washed away as soon as I entered the classroom. I was immediately in awe of the kindness, passion, and intellect fostered behind those walls.

My group consisted of me, Sandra Salib, Donnell Green, Demetrius Cunningham, Dedric “Champ” Moore, and Tevin Louis. We quickly connected and began to discuss ideas for our documentary. They were plentiful. I was amazed by how these men, who had been stripped of so much, were so full of life and so ready to unpack their stories. And let's be clear, we did not get to every story in our class. The lived experience of each of these men could fill their own documentary.

As the process continued, I began to look forward to my time at Sheridan each week, just because I wanted to hang out with my new classmates. When I talked about the course with my friends and family, I explained how these were the most lively class discussions I had in years, or maybe ever. The perspective these men had was something I had never experienced in my education, and I knew I needed to soak up as much of it as possible. So, even when the class finished after the fall quarter, I had to continue going to Sheridan.

My perspective on the carceral system is forever changed after seeing the incredible people being kept in prison, some for crimes they did not commit, and I will carry that with me throughout my life and career. And the connections I made, the stories I was trusted with, and the conversations shared will always be with me.

Watch documentaries from the class

“Oliver” (opens in a new tab)

“Grief Without Goodbyes” (opens in a new tab)

“Love, Karim” (opens in a new tab)

“Defying the Odds” (opens in a new tab)

Writer
Sela Breen
First published
Vol. 2, Issue 2 · 2025 · p. 49

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