Abolition Teach-In Series: Understanding the Prison Industrial Complex Pt 1

In partnership with Critical Resistance, Recess brings back its Abolition Teach-In Series, creating space for collective learning around the prison industrial complex and the movements working to dismantle it.

These gatherings invite artists, neighbors, organizers, and curious learners to deepen their understanding of the systems shaping incarceration in the United States while exploring abolitionist frameworks for imagining safety, care, and justice beyond policing and prisons.

Through conversation, shared learning, and reflection, participants will unpack key histories, terms, and strategies central to abolitionist organizing.

Part 1: Understanding the Prison Industrial Complex April 2 | 3:30–5:30 PM

The series begins with a teach-in and deep dive into the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) by Critical Resistance. Together we will explore how the carceral system developed, the policies and economic structures that sustain it, and the ways it continues to shape communities today.

This session will introduce key concepts and offer space for questions, discussion, and reflection.