Free. Advance registration required.

In person at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130) — 5:30 – 8:30 pm — Register here.

Online via Zoom — 6:00 – 7:30 pm — Register here.

Join us for an exclusive evening to celebrate the release of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, the highly anticipated book by Worth Rises, a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it touches.

This book maps the range of ways in which private corporations, often with their government partners, make money off incarceration. It further details the gross extraction of wealth from incarcerated people and their families, who have been brutalized by overpolicing, mass incarceration, and mass surveillance.

Piper Kerman, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Orange is the New Black, will host a fireside chat between Worth Rises Executive Director, Bianca Tylek and Abolitionist Law Center Executive Director Robert Saleem Holbrook, offering a deep dive into the complex dynamics of the prison industry and its far-reaching consequences on communities. This engaging conversation will also explore how Worth Rises challenges the prison industry and the successes it has had in doing so.

In addition to this powerful conversation, guests attending in person will enjoy food, drinks, and the opportunity to explore the historic site after hours. While tickets are free, you'll have the opportunity to purchase a copy of The Prison Industry when you reserve your in-person ticket.

Event Schedule:

5:30 – 6:00 pm — Welcome & Drinks
6:00 – 7:30 pm — Fireside Chat with Q&A
7:30 – 8:30 pm — Food, Drinks, and Mini Tours of the Historic Site

This event is an unmissable opportunity to learn more about the ways the prison system profits at the expense of marginalized communities and explore the transformative work of Worth Rises. Don’t miss this chance to be part of an important conversation about the future of the prison system and how we can work together to change it.

About the Speakers:

Piper Kerman (left) is a justice reform advocate and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Orange is the New Black.

Bianca Tylek (center) is the Founder and Executive Director of Worth Rises, one of the nation’s leading experts on the prison industry, and the lead author of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits.

Robert Saleem Holbrook (right) is the Executive Director of the Abolitionist Law Center, a former “juvenile lifer” who served 27 years in Pennsylvania’s state prisons, and a leading voice in criminal justice in Pennsylvania. 

Welcoming remarks by Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State.

Interested in attending other events like this? Please consider joining us for Justice 101! Justice 101 is a discussion series examining the history of the justice system in America, from its founding to today, and the impact it has on society, citizens, and the world. You can join us live at the times listed, or watch the discussions back anytime on YouTube. Justice 101 is designed for learners of all ages. Learn more here.