Nominated by Deka Dancil Q: How did it feel when you became a father? A: It was the best, scariest moment of my life. I was 23 when I had him. I didn’t know what it took to be a father. It was a quick learning process, but it’s something I enjoy every day in my life. Q: How did …

After multiple visits in and out of prison, local man shares why he hasn’t returned He’s a good person who made bad decisions. James Rivers distills his own complicated life into that simple sentence. He ended a roller coaster of nearly three decades in and out of prison in 2011 when, he said, he decided that he had had enough …

How four decades of handwritten letters help incarcerated men connect to the outside world

Five years after Jim Gifford’s death, his memory lives on in annual community cleanup

In November, our series “Prison to Family” continues with two new examinations of how important various forms of family and community support are — while incarcerated, immediately after release and even in the decade after prison — in preventing recidivism. Other stories includes reporter Nicole Valinote’s profile on Eurain Scott and how his high school media program opened the world …

Panel discussion explores questions raised by current Syracuse Stage play Audience and community members gathered at Syracuse Stage after a recent performance of “Possessing Harriet” to discuss the lasting impact of slavery in America. A panel consisting of scholars Christian DuComb, John Ernest and Joan Bryant; Syracuse Stage director Tazewell Thompson and Bass himself, fielded question about the play and …

Review of historic play’s world premiere

For Pulitzer-winning author Dr. Matthew Desmond, surveys and numbers weren’t enough to get a clear picture of what eviction does to a poor family in the Midwest. For the book, he moved into a trailer park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and watched individual victims of the 2008 housing crisis move from squalid house to run-down apartment, trying to scrounge together enough …

Historical play ‘Possessing Harriet’ to debut at Syracuse Stage

South Side activists take to the streets to educate fellow citizens on importance of voting