Events
Upcoming Events
We’d love to see you there!
SAVE THE DATE!
On March 7, 2027, we will be holding a concert at Aurora Borealis!
Come join us for a fun night of singing, dancing, and stories from our kin behind bars.
More Details to Come
Past Events
In Case You Missed it…
On May 16, 2026, the Peace and Spirituality Center hosted RISE2hope for a lovely event entitled Stories and Songs with our Kin Behind Bars. We shared stories and songs of what it means to bring hope, healing, and dignity to our kin behind bars. Below are two of the highlights from the day.
In the first video, Todd Leber interviews Ruben, whose art we showcased in our Spring 2026 newsletter. Ruben speaks of what the Connect class meant to him, as well as shares some more of his poetry with us!
This second video highlights our pen pal program, Blessed & Beloved. Jennifer first shares the origin story of our pen pal program and then two of our longest serving volunteer pen pals, Bill Herkes and Mary Guerra, recount their experience as Blessed & Beloved writers. As we mentioned in the last newsletter, Bill was Solomon's pen pal, and it just so happened that Solomon was a good friend to Mary's pen pal.
On February 7, 2026, 135 members of our community gathered in the St. Joseph Social Hall to listen, reflect, and celebrate the healing work unfolding through RISE2hope. Through stories, poetry, music, and personal witness, we were invited into the lived experiences of our kin behind bars and our formerly incarcerated leaders. It was not simply a program, it was an invitation, one that brought us closer to the humanity, resilience, and dignity that lives within each person we serve.
We chose the theme Healing Takes Root very intentionally. Healing does not happen in isolation, nor does it happen by force. It requires the right conditions, spaces where people feel safe, seen, and supported; environments where trust can grow and where individuals can begin to rediscover their own sense of worth and possibility. This is the work we are committed to inside the prison walls, walking alongside our kin as they engage in the long and courageous journey of healing.
The work now known as RISE2hope turned 10 year old in 2025! In March of 2015, Jennifer Kelly first entered Monroe Correctional Complex and by August of that year, Provincial Scott Santarosa, SJ, asked her to found a Seattle-based version of an Ignatian-centered prison program in Los Angeles – Jesuit Restorative Justice Initiative (JRJI). Ten years later, the work continues with a new name guiding the same focus we’ve always had - RISE2hope: Programs of Hope and Healing with Our Kin Behind Bars.
On November 7, 2025, to celebrate this huge milestone, Jennifer Kelly’s band put on an amazing concert at Aurora Borealis, and former program participants from various eras of the ministry spoke about what RISE2hope has meant to them over the years. The night was filled with joy, laughter, and gratitude.