Title:Family bonding through experiential trips

Inspired by the concept of cura personalis, Georgetown’s Prisons and Justice Initiative (PJI) recently added a Family First Program to its offerings. Led by Colie “Shaka” Long (SCS’26), the new program provides opportunities for PJI alumni to bond with their children, a key part of rebuilding their lives following incarceration.

Long took part in Georgetown’s Prison Scholars Program during his incarceration at DC Jail. Once he returned home, he joined PJI as a program associate to support his fellow returning citizens as well as current prison scholars at DC Jail. He also serves as a teaching assistant for Georgetown’s Prisons and Punishment class.

“PJI creates a space to remind people that they’re not the sum of the worst things they’ve ever done,” says Long. “During COVID, my only sense of affiliation to a community was through those classes. The professors were a lifeline to the outside and helped us keep our humanity intact. Without PJI, we would see a lot of men and women lose their sense of relevancy in the world.”

Long was inspired to create the Family First Program when Jessica Trejo, a graduate of the MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program, was sitting in his office with her 14-year-old daughter, Jade Nunez. Long asked Nunez, “Jade, are you proud of your mother?” Nunez turned to smile at her mom and said, “Yes.” Long captured the moment on camera and decided to launch the program.

“A lot of times, incarcerated parents are absent during crucial, formative years with their children. We can’t get back those lost moments, but we can create experiential trips for the families to reconnect,” says Long.

“These Family First events are like a breath of fresh air in our structured lives. They’ve given us a reserved space to bond with our kids. We leave every experience feeling so much more connected,” says Trejo, who served five years in a federal prison in California, and spent a few more years separated from her daughter.

Past trips have included hiking, kayaking, a yacht cruise, visiting LEGOLAND and Six Flags, as well as a financial literacy brunch and holiday meals.

“I think the biggest reward is to hear from families how much their children enjoyed the trips. We can see the bonding that occurs,” says Long. “That makes me feel so rich inside.”