“Twenty-five years ago, BPI was a glimmer of an idea. Inspired by a sense that our country was squandering its future by investing far too much in punishing young people while abandoning its commitment to educating them. The term ‘mass incarceration’ had barely been coined, but our view wasn’t only that there were far too many people in prison; it was that the cynicism about education and the enthusiasm for punishment were two sides of the same coin.
While colleges are closing, prisons are in crisis, and America, ultimately, is no more optimistic or hospitable than it was twenty-five years ago, BPI will continue to be an example of what is possible when we believe in one another. Today, BPI is here to stay.
Our charge now is to always remember how unlikely our success has been. Thank you for making that possible. Because of you, BPI’s next 25 years will be bigger and more transformative than the last.”
—Max Kenner ’01, Executive Director
Tow Chair for Democracy & Education
