NU Club of SF -- NPR's Laura Sullivan Discusses A Woman's Perspective Covering Prison Life

The NAA and DiscussionDIVAS present a speaker event featuring NPR's Laura Sullivan: A Woman's Perspective Covering Prison Life.

Register here

Event Details

Background
NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan found herself in a pickle while in the gym at Bay Area-San Quentin Prison. She was there doing a story on prison overcrowding in California—a recurring issue during the budget crisis. At the time, 360 men were living in the gym because the prison was out of cell space to house them. An alarm rang and every inmate in the gym hit the ground. Sullivan was the only person left standing. Inmates told her to join them or she’d be shot. The room’s only officer told her to stay standing. Just another day on the job for Sullivan, who covers crime and punishment in America for NPR. She’s a regular on Morning Edition and is the recipient of many investigative reporting awards. Read or listen to the story here.

While the economy struggles to recover, the number of people in prison has reached an all-time high, adding an extra burden to the already cash-strapped states. Join DiscussionDIVAS and Northwestern for a wine and cheese conversation with Sullivan who will talk about the pressures facing prisons across the country and what it’s like to cover a system where 93 percent of the inmates are men. Please bring your questions.

Cost
$20 - Covers light food, Cash Bar

Questions? Contact Helena Zaludova hzaludova@paragon-re.com or Stacey Delo sdelo@discussiondivas.com.

Updated October 21, 2009.