Students gain new perspectives through immersive spring break experience

By VICKY SANTOS

Learning continues beyond the classroom at UB. This spring break, 20 students traveled to the American South for an immersive experience exploring the connections between enslavement and mass incarceration.

Organized by Mary Nell Trautner, associate professor of sociology and criminology, and accompanied by Veronica Horowitz, assistant professor of sociology and criminology,and Susan Weeber, teaching assistant professor of English, the trip brought students to sites in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Through guided tours, educational programming, and direct conversations with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, students engaged deeply with history and its present-day implications.

In Louisiana, students visited Angola Prison, the Louisiana State Penitentiary—often referred to as mass incarceration’s “ground zero.”

“For many of us, the visit to Angola stood out,” said Trautner. “It sits on the site of eight former plantations. If you’re making the connection between enslavement and mass incarceration, a prison on that land—where people are still working fields their ancestors may have worked—is a connection that isn’t lost on anybody.”

Students toured the facility and spoke directly with incarcerated individuals, including men on death row.

“That was very powerful and eye-opening,” Trautner said.

For Shiniah France, a senior majoring in criminology and law, the experience deepened her understanding of systemic injustice.

“Speaking to individuals on death row—many of whom have been there for 30+ years—exceeded my expectations,” France said. “Much to my surprise, many found hope in our visit and have tried to find peace despite their circumstances.”

Visiting the prison also had a profound impact on Natasha Acevedo, a third-year Health and Human Services student.

“This was my first time in prison, and before this I didn’t fully comprehend how vast the system is in the United States,” she said. “Many people think of people in prison as monsters, but hearing someone’s story reminds you that, at the end of the day, we are all human.”

She also reflected on a conversation that stayed with her.

“He had a rough start in life, and we were similar in many ways—the only difference was that I had the right supports,” Acevedo said. “When we were leaving, I realized I had the freedom to go, but they did not. That was one of the hardest moments.”

The trip continued through Jackson, Mississippi, where students met an investigative journalist who pursued cold-cases from the Civil Rights era, and then Selma, Alabama, where students participated in training on challenging systemic racism through Kingian nonviolence. The trip concluded in Montgomery, where they visited the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.

“Experiencing these places in person was much heavier than learning about them in the classroom,” said Kaya Richards, a second-year student who is earning the Prison Studies Certificate while majoring in criminology with a minor in law. “Classrooms can only give you so much. This experience allowed us to fully absorb the history and reflect together.”

France echoed that sentiment.

“I didn’t realize how emotional these locations would be,” she said. “Like many of my peers, this trip reignited my passion and gave me hope for the future.”

One of the most powerful stops was the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery, where a wall lists the names formerly enslaved people chose for themselves in the first U.S. Census after emancipation.

“We saw students finding their ancestors’ names on that wall,” Trautner recalled. “It gave them a connection to their past they had never had before. It was incredibly powerful—but also difficult to process.”

Both Richards and France were able to locate their family names.

“I found the last names of four of my family members,” Richards said. “As a Caribbean-American, I don’t know much about my roots. This is the most connected I’ve ever felt to my ancestors. I’m forever grateful for this experience.”

France described a similar moment.

“I was amazed to find my last name—and to learn there were 205 formerly enslaved people with that name in 1870,” she said. “It’s important to remember the lived experiences of those who came before us.”

Students also visited the Mothers of Gynecology monument, which honors Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey—enslaved women subjected to repeated experimental surgeries without anesthesia.

“This tragic history was rooted in the false belief that Black people do not feel pain,” France said. “Learning from the artist that Anarcha endured 30 surgeries without medication was shocking and demonstrated just how inhumanely Black people were treated and how disposable they were.”

Throughout the trip, students were confronted with the enduring legacies of injustice, but also with resilience, humanity, and hope.

Hope was especially evident during a visit with Anthony Ray Hinton, author of The Sun Does Shine, who spent 30 years on Alabama’s death row for a crime he did not commit before being exonerated in 2015.

“I read his memoir in high school, and meeting him in person at the Legacy Museum was incredible,” Acevedo said. “His resilience despite what he endured was something I looked up to. I got to speak with him and have him sign my book. I got to meet someone who is a hero to me. I’m so grateful for this whole experience. I will never forget it.”

France also reflected on the lasting impact of the experience.

“Although these experiences were heavy and emotional, they deepened my passion to pursue civil rights and criminal defense work,” she said. “As I prepare for graduation, this trip affirmed my desire to attend law school and pursue an impactful career. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who made this trip possible.”

Trautner said the trip exceeded her expectations and goals.

“I wanted students to have a powerful, meaningful experience where they could understand the relationship between enslavement and mass incarceration in a new way—not just from a textbook,” she said. “They made connections and had experiences they might not otherwise have had. Seeing that transformation in such a short time was incredibly meaningful as an educator.”