Rasa Takes Sundance

Storytelling and Film

It wouldn’t be Sundance without the excitement of film and storytelling. So, we took time to explore how movies, stories, and art can help shape our thinking about justice reform. These conversations included a panel on how stories can spark change, a panel on filmmaking and the arts in prison, a special screening of The Waiting Workforce, and a discussion on how basketball can influence policy and awareness.

Through these sessions, we saw how powerful media can be. As JJ Velasquez put it, “Without the power of media, without the power of remarkable storytellers who can get what actually occurred across to society, we won't be close to changing the system.” We also got to see concrete examples of the types of media that can prompt change and discussion. 

Policy and Solutions Panels

The fun did not stop with movies and art. We also hosted panels focused on policy, problems in the criminal justice system, and real-world solutions. Several sessions looked closely at how current criminal justice related processes work and where they can improve. These included panels on rehabilitation, programming, background checks, sentencing limits, and the role of technology in scalable justice reform.

These discussions helped everyone think more deeply about long-term change. While a single panel cannot fix every problem overnight, bringing people together is an important first step. By sharing ideas and learning from each other, we can start to see new paths forward. Over time, these kinds of conversations can lead to stronger policies and better outcomes for people impacted by the justice system.

The Sundance Panelists

Some panels had a lot of participants, while others felt more personal and close-knit. No matter the size of the panel, every session resulted in thoughtful conversation. Each panel also brought people together to explore many parts of one idea: improving the criminal justice system.

Together, artists, advocates, technologists, and policy leaders shared their experiences and ideas. As a result, Sundance attendees were able to hear many different perspectives in one place. This mix of voices made the summit that much more insightful. To help give a sense of the number of people and viewpoints involved in this summit, we break it down by topic below.

Artists & Athletes

Our art and sports panels reminded everyone of the power of creativity, storytelling, and the importance of using platforms for change. Mannone Butler led a conversation with James Cadogan and Ken Oliver on the power of basketball and sports teams in making change. JJ Velazquez, formerly incarcerated actor and co-star in Sing-Sing (2023 Sundance Film), Rahsaan Thomas, Former co-host and producer of Ear Hustle Podcast and Co-Founder of the San Quentin Film Festival, and Dawn Porter, Founder of Trilogy Films, had a discussion on the power of storytelling. Brandon Lee, the CEO of Art of Our Soul, and Asia Johnson, Manager of Storytelling and Media Productions at Zealous, shared insights on filmmaking and the arts in prison. Nan Gibson, Executive Director for Second Chance, Economic Security Net, and Careers & Skills at JP Morgan Chase & Co., and Alexandra Williams, Chief of Staff at The Clean Slate Initiative, helped set the tone for The Waiting Workforce screening.

The Techies

Many of our panelists are actively working to improve the justice system through new tools, technology, and ideas. One of our panels focused on the role of tech.

Chris Edley III, Executive Director of the AI & Justice Consortium, hosted this wide-ranging conversation with Jolene Forman, Chief Program and Advocacy Officer at The Just Trust, Jodi Anderson Jr., CEO and Co-Founder of Rezme, Jason Wang, CEO and Founder of Free World, Sean Hosman, CEO of Vant4ge and Co-Founder of Persevere, and Rasa’s own CEO and founder, Noella Sudbury. This panel covered a lot of topics and ideas, including Rasa’s mission which, as Noella put it, is to “Use technology to make it easier for someone with a criminal record to understand what is on their record, and whether it can be cleared to open up more opportunities in life.” Jodi Anderson Jr. talked about technology’s role in bridging information silos.  

Policy and Program Leaders

Policy leaders, corrections leaders, program directors and advocates also played a key role in the summit. Jared Garcia, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Corrections, Shelly Winner, Founder of The Winner’s Circle, John Jackson, CEO of Hustle 2.0, Marcus Bullock, Founder & CEO of Flikshop, and Henry Dillard, Senior Manager of Remote Instruction at The Last Mile, discussed new ways to think about rehabilitation and reentry. Jared Garcia talked about the importance of providing opportunities for people to be successful.  Another panel, featuring Josh Hoe, Senior Policy Manager at Dream.Org, Hillary Blout, CEO of For the People, Elissa Johnson, VP of Criminal Justice Campaigns at FWD.us, Kristina Wildeveld J.D., Pardon Attorney, Shaneva McReynolds, President of FAMM, and Scott Peyton, Director of Government Affairs at Prison Fellowship, explored sentencing, pardons, and reform.

Jay Jordan, VP of Community Engagement at REFORM Alliance, Sheba Williams, Executive Director of NOLEF Turns, Jesse Crosson, Executive Director of Second Chancer Foundation, Alison Rapping, CEO of Arouet, and Destiny Garcia, Executive Director of Clean Slate Utah focused on centering the voices of people directly impacted by the system. Shea Zwerver, Program Director at Goodwill International, moderated a discussion with Maha Jweied, CEO of RBIJ, Jesse Kelley, Program Director of Reentry 2030, Mike Doner, CEO of Flagger Force, and Royal Ramey, CEO and founder of The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, about reentry, background checks, fair chance hiring, and our economy.

These conversations highlighted how important thoughtful approaches and solutions are to long-term change. By listening to those with lived experience and professional expertise, a clearer picture of what meaningful reform can look like emerged.