SOCIAL IMPACT CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW

“STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES, HEALING FAMILIES, OVERCOMING THE EFFECTS OF MASS INCARCERATION”

To facilitate community discussion and awareness of the issues covered in the film, the Odyssey Impact team directed a national grassroots and public engagement campaign from 2017 through 2018. Launched in Milwaukee during Black History Month in February of 2017, the campaign focused on national and local partnerships with issue stakeholders and experts in faith-based and secular communities. Strategically, the effort was designed to address the effects of mass incarceration on communities and families who have been disproportionately affected by U.S. policies of mass incarceration, and to empower solutions-driven dialogue.

Beginning in May 2017, the social impact campaign expanded its focus from Milwaukee to include the following cities: Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Detroit, Chicago and Boston. These cities were selected based on their presence of a rich interfaith justice community.

From May 2017 to April 2018, the social impact campaign turned to faith leaders in order to expand the framing of mass incarceration to include an ethical crisis devastating families and communities. The effort aimed to create a frame and encourage a shift in community attitudes toward progressive solutions to support families with loved ones in prison. To best achieve this goal, the Odyssey Impact team engaged in a three-pronged approach:

• Organized screenings with influential audiences in the issue of incarceration
• Identified and developed strategic partnerships with issue-stakeholders and faith communities
• Collected audience data and testimonials at community-based screenings of the film

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES

1. Build empathy and awareness for communities who have been disproportionately targeted under U.S. policies of mass incarceration and empower far-reaching reform.
   • Use the film to build empathy and raise awareness of the devastating effect mass incarceration has on communities and families.
     • Screening and discussion series in faith-based organizations across the United States – educating on regional and national policies, solutions and calls to action.
     • Provide a platform for families, communities and returning citizens to access information and pledge their commitment to ending mass incarceration.
     • Community and Faith-based institutions will be able to pledge to raise awareness, host screenings and support the de-stigmatization of mass incarceration.
2. Build the safety net of support for children and families of those who are incarcerated.
   • Use the film to highlight the need for a better support system for children and families who have incarcerated members.
   • Build awareness around the need for resources and support in community organizations and faith groups that support children and families with incarcerated members.
3. Promote the de-stigmatization of incarceration in order to support community conversations.
   • Use the film to break down barriers, stereotypes and judgments of returning citizens and children, spouses and families affected by mass incarceration.
   • Film screenings and discussions in high schools and middle schools.
   • Film screenings and short film training modules for teacher and administrative trainings.
   • Film screenings & discussion tools for faith-based youth and small group ministry.
   • Tools to encourage faith communities to honor and support child-parent relationships.
   • Promote positive stories about faith-based programs created to support families, children and returning citizens.
4. Call on the faith community to be a central force in reforming local, regional and national mass incarceration policies.
   • Use the film to engage communities of faith in assessing their role as faith-based individuals and organizations in supporting families, spouses and children who are facing the challenge of a parent who is incarcerated – dispelling the shame associated with incarceration and uplifting supportive programs that will strengthen families.
   • Use screening events to bridge connections between churches, synagogues, mosques and community organizations that support children and families with incarcerated members through screening and discussion events around the film.
   • Provide tools to support faith-based leadership and faith groups to engage around mass incarceration in order to localize criminal justice issues.

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS

To facilitate the objectives of the impact campaign, the team developed a range of campaign resource materials designed to foster community dialogue and action, including:

Film Discussion Guide The film discussion guides offered ideas, questions, and provided answers to basic questions such as screening materials and equipment needed. Seven themes were covered:

• Theme 1: The Issues of An Imbalanced Justice System
• Theme 2: The Issue of Fatherhood and Personal Responsibility
• Theme 3: Time as Punishment
• Theme 4: Black Women & Prison
• Theme 5: Is There White Privilege in the Criminal Justice System?
• Theme 6: Destigmatization and The Struggles of Re-Entry Theme
• 7: Children and the Future

These themes were addressed through three separate guides, each with a specific kind of screening focus:

1. Facilitator’s Guide: Designed for screenings with a panel discussion and offered detailed guidelines for post screening discussion, screening timeline breakdowns, tips for facilitating constructive discussions, and questions to devise a community-specific call to action after the screening.
2. General Discussions Guide: Offered pertinent questions for starting a conversation about mass incarceration, intended for a general audience. It listed various resources and organizations working on various aspects of the mass incarceration issue ranging from prison reform to reentry of formerly incarcerated persons.
3. Faith-Based Guide: A customized faith-based approach to the discussion questions, with several relevant verses from the Bible within each discussion theme.

Screening Toolkit For those interested in organizing a screening, resources were provided, including a downloadable flyer template, posters, email, and press release templates, as well as images and suggested text for social media content. The film showed a strong presence on social media channels: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Some of the common hashtags used were #MKE53206, #MassIncarceration, and #MassInc.

Sample Letters To support the parole release of Baron Walker, a sample letter template allowed members of the public to send support to the Wisconsin Parole Board.

PARTNERSHIPS

The campaign focused on engaging faith leaders with interest and influence in criminal justice reform, along with related secular organizations with similar issue expertise and focus. The partner organizations encompassed the following with either national, state, or local prominence:

1. Faith-based: faith-based, religious or spiritual organization; a faith community; place of worship
2. Educational: college, university, seminary, library, K-12 institution
3. Advocacy: special interest groups, think tanks, policy groups, organizations dedicated to reform
4. Community/ Service: An organization dedicated to providing resources and/or services to specific groups of individuals or communities, both local or national in scope.

Partners and key organizations were targeted for outreach based on their issue expertise, as well as their existing network relationships with Odyssey Impact as a faith-based, social-justice organization. Strategically, the partnership organizations brought existing access to key campaign audiences, including:

• Returning citizens
• Families of the incarcerated
• Communities with absent parents
• Correctional ministries
• Faith leaders/communities/organizations
• Secular community organizations and leaders
• Decision makers/ influencers (legislators, fed, state, local officials, experts etc.)
• Law enforcement
• Divinity students
• Students (colleges, universities and high schools)
• Educators and people who teach in central cities
• Jail and prison employees
• Advocacy groups
• Communities of different racial groups with similar challenges
• Mental and behavioral health professionals
• Film festivals

The campaign developed four main categories of partnerships:

• Strategic Partner: A contact who has engaged with the campaign in a meaningful way over a period of time. These partners represent organizations or communities that deeply align with the campaign’s goals and have access to targeted audiences. They actively work in the spaces identified as important to the film’s campaign, and they are able to organize screenings/events, develop content, and make introductions that directly help the campaign reach its overall goals.
• Screening Partner: A contact who has engaged with the campaign through film screenings. These partners represent stakeholders who host multiple screenings, influencer screenings, screenings for targeted audiences, or those who participate in the promotion or programming of screening events.
• Content Partner: A contact who has engaged with the campaign through content sharing and development. These partners represent stakeholders with issue expertise who produce their own content, have access to targeted audiences and/or have an ongoing digital relationship with the campaign.
• Connector: A contact who has engaged with the campaign through lending their platform and name to the campaign. These partners represent those with a network and reach that aligns with campaign goals and are thus able to expand the overall reach of the film and its campaign.

In terms of their engagement, partner organizations varied in their approach to activating the film, from hosting screenings and participating in panels to writing blogs on the issue or making introductions to potential partners and influencers. The campaign identified and facilitated a full range of engagement with its partners, with highlights that include:

1. Hosted a screening
2. Participated on a screening panel
3. Invited their network to a screening
4. Informed their network about the film
5. Shared their content
6. Shared the campaign’s social media
7. Wrote a blog on the issue and film
8. Started a church program for prisoners/ families
9. Joined ATL Faith Coalition
10. Wrote a testimonial about the film
11. Made an introduction to a potential partner or influencer
12. Held a Criminal Justice Resource Fair
13. Developed community resources

PARTNERS FOR THE MILWAUKEE 53206 IMPACT CAMPAIGN:

FAITH-BASED GROUPS (HOUSES OF WORSHIP, DENOMINATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS)

• North Decatur Presbyterian Church (GA)
• Incarnation Lutheran Church (WI)
• Bethesda Baptist Church (WI)
• Epistles of Christ Church COGIC (WI)
• Madison Avenue Baptist Church (NY)
• First Radio Parish Church of America (OR)
• United Church of Christ (OH)
• First Afrikan Presbyterian Church (GA)
• St.Mark A.M.E. Church (WI)
• Calvary Baptist Church of Milwaukee (WI)
• The Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta – Prison and Jail Ministry (GA)
• Ebenezer Baptist Church (GA)
• The Breakthrough Fellowship (GA)
• The Temple (GA)
• Solomon’s Porch (MN)
• Redemption Housing (PA)
• Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (MA)
• Regional Council of Churches – Atlanta branch (GA)
• Christian Churches Together (KY)
• The Interchurch Center (NY)
• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (GA)
• Temple Sinai Brookline (MA)
• The First Church of Christ, Scientist (MA)
• University Church (IL)

FAITH-BASED ADVOCACY GROUPS

• WISDOM (WI)
• Interfaith Children’s Network (GA)
• Healing Communities (PA)
• Transition of Prisoners Inc (MI)
• The Benedict Center (WI)
• Prison Fellowship (VA)
• Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MA)
• Atlantans Building Leadership For Empowerment (GA)

SECULAR ADVOCACY GROUPS

• Physicians for Criminal Reform (GA)
• Death Penalty Information Center (DC)
• Center for American Progress (DC)
• National Fatherhood Initiative (MD)
• Vera Institute of Justice (NY)
• College and Community Fellowship (NY)
• Urban Institute (DC)
• ACLU (NY)

EDUCATIONAL GROUPS (SEMINARIES, COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES, INSTITUTES)

• Candler School of Theology (GA)
• McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University (GA)
• Emory University Office of Religious Life (GA)
• Columbia Seminary (GA)
• Union Theological Seminary (NY)
• Justice Collaboratory, Yale Law School (CT) National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated, Rutgers University– Camden (NJ)
• Medical College of Wisconsin (WI)
• Morehouse School of Medicine (GA)

COMMUNITY/SERVICE GROUPS

• Foreverfamily (GA)
• Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit, Flip the Script Program (MI)
• 50/50 Project (MI)
• SOLO Project (MA)
• College and Community Fellowship (NY)
• Safe & Sound (WI)

COMMUNITY SCREENINGS

The world premiere of MILWAUKEE 53206 took place at the Landmark Oriental Theater in Milwaukee on June 14, 2016, and then later that year at the Milwaukee Film Festival (MFF). The initial premiere event was made possible through the personal financial support of Chris Abele, Milwaukee Film co-founder and board member, and the current Milwaukee County Executive, who announced the film with a statement: “In my new term as County Executive, my highest priority is reducing the racial disparities that exist in jobs, housing, education, and health care throughout this city, and especially in the 53206 area. Everyone has heard the statistics, but statistics don’t tell the story. The people do. By having Milwaukee Film host the world premiere of this new documentary, my hope is that more people can hear real stories from real people living the reality of those statistics and be moved to make a difference.”30

The sold-out MFF premiere launched the fall film festival rollout for the film. Several targeted faith-based, community-based, and private screenings were held in conjunction with the fall film festival rollout. This included a Congressional Screening of MILWAUKEE 53206 on November 17, 2016, sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), with opening remarks from Representative Gwen Moore of Wisconsin who “voiced her commitment to address the issue of mass incarceration and its impact on the community.”31

Across 21 states, 235 screenings of MILWAUKEE 53206 have taken place. Seventy-six screenings have been held in faith-based communities. More than 18,000 people have seen MILWAUKEE 53206 via community screenings alone. This number has increased since the film’s national TV broadcast on PBS WORLD Channel’s America Reframed on April 3, 2018. Community-based screenings have taken place at educational institutions, community/service organizations, advocacy groups and government institutions, with highlights including:

• U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
• The Justice Collaboratory at Yale University
• Louisville Black Church Studies Consultation Conference on Mass Incarceration and Restorative Justice
• The Vera Institute of Justice
• Prison Fellowship International, Detroit Area Churches

THE LIST OF SCREENING CITES INCLUDES:

Albany, NY – Ann Arbor, MI – Athens, OH – Atlanta, GA – Beloit, WI – Brookfield, WI – Brookline, MA – Camden, NJ – Carroll, IA – Cedarburg, WI – Chicago, SD – Chicago, IL – Detroit, MI – Duluth, MN – Eau Claire, WI – Englewood, CO – Fort Worth, TX – Germantown, WI – Glendale, WI – Grand Rapids, MI – Green Bay, WI – Greendale, WI – Gurnee, IL – Hartland, WI – Hazel Crest, IL – Iowa City, IA – Itasca, IL – La Crosse, WI – Lancaster, PA – Las Cruces, NM – Lithonia, GA – Louisville, KY – Madison, WI – Manitowoc, WI – Memomonee Falls, WI – Menomonie, WI – Mequon, WI – Miami, FL – Milwaukee, WI – Minneapolis, MN – Monona, WI – New Berlin, WI – New Haven, CT – New York, NY – Oconomowoc, WI – Pewaukee, WI – Philadelphia, PA – Platteville, WI – Poughkeepsie, NY – Racine, WI – Savannah, GA – Seattle, WA – Shorewood, WI – South Hadley, MA – Southfield, MI – St. Francis, WI – St. Louis, MO – Stevens Point, WI – Sun Prarie, WI – Valdosta, GA – Washington DC – Waukegan, IL – Waukesha, WI – Wausau, WI – Wauwatosa, WI – Whitefish Bay, WI – Whitewater, WI – Wisconsin Rapids, WI

AUDIENCE IMPACT: SCREENING SURVEYS

SCREENING SURVEY OVERVIEW

To capture the impact of MILWAUKEE 53206 on audiences across the country who watched the film at community screening and discussion events, the impact team facilitated an online audience screening survey at each location. Audience members completed the survey on their smartphones on site prior to the panel discussions. The survey focused on: (1) ENTERTAINMENT value and informational assessment of the film, and (2) KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES & INTENDED BEHAVIORS about the themes raised in the film. In total, from community screenings of the film between November 17, 2016, and November 7, 2018, in 21 cities across the country, 1,346 respondents completed the online audience survey.

ASSESSMENT OF THE DOCUMENTARY

OVERALL QUALITY Screening audiences enjoyed the documentary and gave it high ratings. When asked how they would rate the quality of the film, a full 96% said it was either excellent (45%) or good (51%).

DESCRIPTION OF THE FILM Audiences who watched MILWAUKEE 53206 in one of the campaign’s community screenings described the film the most as a conversation starter, but also a memorable film that made them care more about an important issue. For these viewers, the film offered a vehicle for their emotional engagement in the issue of mass incarceration and its effects on a family and community. Specifically, when asked which terms described the film perfectly, viewers’ top responses were “something I would talk about with other people” (52%), “memorable” (46%), “held my attention” (45%), and “made me care more about an important issue” (43%). By contrast, they were least likely to call the film “boring” or “preachy.”

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES & INTENDED BEHAVIORS

IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING MASS INCARCERATION & RACISM After watching MILWAUKEE 53206, viewers thought deeply about race; three-quarters of viewers (74%) said addressing issues related to race and racism were extremely important. Almost 7 in 10 (65%) said the same about mass incarceration.

FILM’S EFFECTIVENESS AT COMMUNICATING ABOUT INCARCERATION ISSUES The documentary touches on a few angles related to mass incarceration and the community impact. For these viewers, the themes that resonated the most were about families, relationships, low-income communities, and race.

Viewers in the community screenings felt that the film was the most effective at communicating about the impact of mass incarceration on families and relationships (58% said the film did this “extremely effectively”), and illuminating the impact of mass incarceration on low-income communities (43% said this was extremely effective in the film), and spotlighting the disproportionate number of African-Americans who are incarcerated in the United States (41% said this was communicated extremely effectively in the film).

KNOWLEDGE AFTER WATCHING THE FILM After watching MILWAUKEE 53206, similar to the points about effective communication in the film, viewers felt they learned the most about the impact of mass incarceration on families and relationships (56% learned a great deal), and on low-income families (43% learned a great deal), and the impact on children (40% learned a great deal).

ATTITUDES AFTER WATCHING THE FILM When it comes to attitudes about mass incarceration, after viewing, community screening audiences agreed most with the statement that “children and family members of incarcerated individuals need community support” (71%). Conversely, these audiences revealed compassion and empathy, with only 5% of viewers saying that incarcerated individuals get what they deserve.

SUPPORTED SOLUTIONS AFTER WATCHING THE FILM After watching the documentary, viewers supported a range of solutions to mass incarceration. They were most likely to support preventative solutions – keeping people out of prison in the first place – and helping returning citizens to re-enter their communities after prison. Specifically, about 6 in 10 (64%) of viewers said that “support programs looking towards alternatives to incarceration and restorative justice initiatives before someone enters the system,” are a very good solution, and about the same proportion of community screening viewers (60%) said the same about “referring returning citizens to support programs that guide them through re-entry (jobs, housing, exercising their right to vote, access legal services, and access to health care and mental health care.).”

INTENDED ACTIONS AFTER WATCHING When it comes to sparking action from viewers after watching MILWAUKEE 53206, screening audiences were most likely to say they would visit the film’s website to learn more and take supportive action – 68% said they were likely or very likely to do so.

TESTIMONIALS FROM COMMUNITY SCREENINGS

“Though MILWAUKEE 53206 takes place nearly 800 miles away, it resonated here in DC, where nearly 35,000 people (1 in 14 residents) have a criminal conviction in the past 10 years, and average time served increased 47 percent from 2007 to 2013.

Everything from Beverly’s story to Rev. Trulear’s comments to audience members’ personal reflections reinforced the importance—at the individual and societal levels—of remembering the humanity of justice-involved people and not allowing them to be dehumanized, nor their families shamed.

That means considering state-level reforms that eliminate problematic sentencing and corrections policies like Truth in Sentencing. It also means recognizing and finding solutions for the challenges people face reentering the community. Whether it’s making Medicaid enrollment a part of prerelease activities, preparing men to be responsible and engaged fathers when they’re back with their families, or identifying and elevating the most effective strategies to reduce recidivism, local policymakers can use both research and personal stories to take a comprehensive look at how best to ease reentry. But it doesn’t stop there. All kinds of local stakeholders have an important role to play in giving returning citizens their best chance in our community.”

ALANA MORRO, URBAN INSTITUTE

“We really enjoyed watching the film as we service a lot of scholars from 53206. When looking at our data, we also recognized that the few scholars who have been expelled reside in the 53206 zip code. I believe this created a forum for discussion with our staff. Many of our staff members commented on the mother and how exhausted she must be. I am hopeful this will bring a new level of sensitivity and responsiveness to our community. Many of our teachers were speechless after the film. Very powerful and brings a continued sense of urgency.”

KASSY NEIMAN, LUMIN PILGRIM LUTHERAN SCHOOL

MILWAUKEE 53206 does an incredible job of putting a face to these tough to talk about issues. It really shows people the effects incarceration of an individual can have on a family, as well as the larger effects of incarcerating so many members of a specific community. I feel like we all have so much to learn about this issue.”

KAHYLA PEREZ, OUTREACH COORDINATOR, ST. LUKE’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

“After the viewing of MILWAUKEE 53206 Dr. Mary Roberson led a discussion about the documentary. She used the guidebook for a number of questions and made a point of involving the students throughout the discussion.

The discussion was lively, very emotional at times and allowed several ‘returning citizens’ in the audience to share their personal stories. We addressed ‘white privilege’ as a minority of whites were in the audience. The discussion was extremely professional, educational and respectful to all present.

At the end of the discussion, the Coalition invited the audience (including students) to join this amazing organization. There was also some discussion about several current legislative bills and issues in Illinois, and the importance of voting for those who strongly oppose the current system and mass incarceration.”

LORI MOSS, COALITION TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM

“Our social work intern and I just finished watching (MKE 53206). While I knew the theme of the film, our intern did not. She was sobbing by the end of the film. We both agreed that it was awesome and I wanted to tell you immediately how much we both love it. We are anxious to show it to our family members (of the incarcerated) next week – it so speaks to their lived experiences,

The film is an invaluable resource and needs to be shared across the nation including schools; churches, police forces, social service agencies and the list could go on and on. When one person is incarcerated, it affects the whole community.

There is no one that remains untouched by mass incarceration. Thank you to the team that made the film and to the families and professionals who shared their reality – uncut with full emotion. The film really resonates with our work and we are honored to screen it.”

SOFFIYAH ELIJAH, ALLIANCE OF FAMILIES FOR JUSTICE

“As I have continued to listen, read, and to learn about the complex issues surrounding mass incarceration, I have found myself not only sharing the stories of others that I have encountered through this work, but sharing the stories of close friends who have experienced the effects of racial profiling in our community, in order to help others to connect to the issues. Through the sharing of stories, others have begun to openly share their experiences, reflections, and sometimes even their despair over what they are able to actually do in the face of such a daunting system. In these moments of personal sharing, we are able to connect our values and to experience a shared understanding of what is happening, so that many are coming to the realization that they can no longer be complicit spectators, but they can and must take whatever actions they are able to take within their particular context and sphere of influence.

I am witnessing how the realization of our power to effect change in our society is brought about through such storytelling. My own mother and father have continued to learn more about the issues surrounding mass incarceration in our country as a result of such moments of sharing. When I think about how their sharing about what they are learning may affect many of their friends and co-workers, I am hopeful that our society can put an end to the sin of mass incarceration through such manifestations of public narrative.”

MELANIE SNYDER, LANCASTER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY