Raising Hope, Reclaiming Futures: Incarcerated Parents, Their Children, and The Path Forward

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

The purpose of this thematic panel is to discuss the unique challenges and resilience of incarcerated parents and their children as they navigate the intersections of gendered expectations and family separation. Panelists will examine how societal perceptions of Black motherhood shape the experiences of incarcerated women and their children, the complexities of parenting while incarcerated, and the role of prison-based parenting programs in maintaining parental bonds. Additionally, the discussion will highlight the voices of Black children with incarcerated parents, focusing on how they redefine success, resist stigma, and cultivate resilience in the face of adversity. By centering the focus on lived experiences, this panel aims to challenge deficit-based narratives around incarcerated families, uplift stories of strength and success, and explore pathways for meaningful support and policies.

Sub Unit

• Area II. Perspectives on Crime / 9. Critical Race/Ethnicity

Individual Presentations

• An Intersectional Analysis of Justice-Involved Parents Navigating Parenthood in Jail - Narissa Haakmat, Northern Illinois University

• Bound by Burdens: Exploring the Systemic and Socio-Economic Challenges Faced by System Impacted Black Women - JaNesha Peay, Howard University

• "I Helped Raise Them": Gendered Expectations of Mothers and Their Children after Maternal Incarceration - Janet Garcia-Hallett, University of New Haven; Melissa Noel, Temple University

• M.O.M Camp: Incarcerated Mothers & Creative Strategies For Parenting From Prison - Bahiyyah MiAllah Muhammad, Howard University

• Incarcerated Parents and Their Successful Children: Selected Stories of Family Resilience & Redefining Identity - Britany Gatewood, Bowie State University; Bahiyyah MiAllah Muhammad, Howard University; Sydni Turner, Bowie State University

Chair

• Melissa Noel, Temple University

Discussant

• Narissa Haakmat, Northern Illinois University

Organized by a Division or external group?

DPCC @30