PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (April 5, 2022) – On April 6, 2022, the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center (TJCPC) at Prairie View A&M University, supported in part by the university’s President’s Office, will continue its Spring Speaker Series with a virtual event featuring Cyntoia Brown-Long, an author, speaker, and advocate for criminal justice reform and victims of trafficking.
Cyntoia Brown-Long
TJCPC Executive Director Camille Gibson and TJCPC Director Susan Frazier-Kouassi discuss the impact of Brown-Long’s appearance on attendees:
Who is Cyntoia Brown-Long?
Born to an alcoholic teenage mother who was a victim of sex trafficking, Cyntoia had a difficult start in life. Cyntoia was trafficked during her early teenage years and, at the age of 16, was arrested for killing a man who solicited her for sex. She was tried as an adult and was sentenced to life in prison without the chance for parole for 51 years. In prison, Cyntoia’s life took a dramatic turn when the prison education principal took Cyntoia under her wing and introduced her to a spiritual path. The principal encouraged Cyntoia to build a positive life in prison and to resist the negative influences that lead to despair. Cyntoia’s sentence was commuted by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, and she was released from prison on August 7, 2019.
Why was Brown-Long selected to participate in the Spring Speaker Series?
Cyntoia Brown-Long was selected to participate because of her truly riveting and redemptive story of transformation and finding hope through faith after a traumatic adolescence of drug addiction, rape, and sex trafficking, which ultimately led to a murder conviction.
Following her release from prison, Brown-Long has dedicated her time to working on criminal and juvenile justice reform efforts as well as educating the public about youth trafficking.
Who should attend this webinar?
Individuals interested in criminal justice reform, trafficking and redemption should join the April 6 webinar to learn more about Cyntoia’s struggle to overcome a legacy of birth-family addiction and a lifetime of being ostracized and abandoned by society. Her transformation into a powerful advocate for the marginalized is truly inspirational.
What is the overall goal of the Spring Speaker Series?
The goal of the series is to bring a constructive focus to the issues of the day that impact the well-being of youth. To this end, it involves hearing from persons at the center or forefront of these issues.
What is your goal for this programming?
We would like the discussion to inform efforts to stem the tide of increases in trafficking. This event is a precursor to our annual Royce West Forum and Lecture Series later in the spring.
What benefits the public and university from having the TJCPC host this type of programming?
The series presents an opportunity to inspire and inform those doing “boots on the ground” work with young people in Texas and beyond. For PVAMU, the program is evidence of the university’s commitment to its land grant mission in being responsive to the community and community concerns.
To learn more about the event on April 6, please click here.
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