exclusive just yesterday.

Mayor Brandon Johnson spent some time in a place few if any Chicago mayors have been and Illinois State prison visiting incarcerated men who were students in a prison education program.

Brandis Friedman joins us now with more Brandis.

How did this visit come about?

So it is something that that the team at the Northwestern Prison Education program, they've been working on it for quite some time.

There are finally able to make it happen.

>> And we've been following this program impact for short for several years, including the graduation of their first class back in 2023.

They have since moved from the now shuttered State Bill Correctional Center in Sheridan Correctional to Sheridan correctional.

That is and that's almost 2 hours southwest of Chicago.

It's a medium security prison with hundreds of men originally from Chicago who had the chance to meet and even ask questions of the mayor in what is believed to be the first visit of a sitting Chicago mayor to an Illinois state prison.

>> It's a rainy Sunday morning as dozens of men and their families gather inside the gym at Sheridan Correctional Center awaiting one special guests.

>> startles this morning was organized by the Northwestern Prison Education Program or impact.

>> Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took priest admitted questions from the students and graduates from nearly an hour.

One of them was from Nicholas who shared part of his story growing up in an abusive home.

>> We just one.

2.

>> But now he's a student in impacts.

5th cohort.

>> We >> asked the mayor a former history teacher about the importance of public education and programming to help students overcome barriers.

They're important because they provide the public space.

To not just challenge systems.

But help people find their And it continued to go back to that because, you know, someone who was driven by fear or survival.

We'll never reach their full potential.

>> All children should be tough screen.

Assessed for.

Type of challenges type of trauma and have addressed so that it doesn't grow.

Grow out of control.

I believe that me.

>> not only making decisions Impact Director Jennifer Lackey says she thinks it's important for elected officials and other leaders to be in the room with people who are living under the policies that they shape.

>> Impact is the country's first prison education program to confer a bachelor's degrees to incarcerated people.

Educators here often make the case that the coursework inside these walls is just as rigorous as on the northwestern campus.

Michael Jordan son is a current student.

Oftentimes it feels like those of us myself included incarcerated are visible.

He says he's hopeful someone like Mayor Johnson will work to make the cars rule system more restorative just punitive where in addition.

>> Addressing the seriousness of the offense that also an aim of incarceration and criminal penalties would be restoring the offender to use for citizenship.

>> As the mayor spoke, the community here listened.

>> But these systems that have Phil, our communities to a great extent, I believe it's been purposeful.

You know, I mean, whether it's public housing being shuttered.

That was a policy decision to shut down public housing.

Whether it was the closing of mental health clinics.

>> And shared common concerns close I was arson.

Was >> And even some tough Chicago questions.

>> codes?

>> But as they listen.

>> The students also hope the mayor hears them too.

>> I think the resources, place.

Overcome the trauma was expensive.

I'm hoping that's what it takes away from help you.

We're really look at that process.

Find a way challenge to have the mayor coming here in to see us for who we are.

>> It's actually take time out of such busy schedule.

Not only that he sees us, but he's going to hear us as well.

>> And the first question the mayor was asked was what this visit meant to him.

He told the crowd which included impact faculty and staff as well that his own 2 brothers struggled with addiction and had bouts with the prison industrial complex and that he feels he has a responsibility to connect with the individuals who are directly impacted by the decisions that he makes as an elected official brands to the students say anything more about what a more restorative justice system might look like for them?

Yes, they did.

More than one of them mentioned efforts to change the state's truth in sentencing laws as well as restoring parole in Illinois, which, you know, the absence of we have covered here on W T Tw specifically, some of the men spoke about House Bill.

5287, it is in the General Assembly.

It is being called the Credit for Change Act.

It would allow more incarcerated incarcerated people to earn some time off of their sentences either by good behavior or by participating in rehabilitation and educational programming as it stands, people who are sentenced under truth in sentencing laws must serve 100% of their sentence.

They cannot earn that time off.

This bill is up before the House Judiciary Committee for hearing this Wednesday.

And bridges and pet has graduated just one class so far.

Are there more coming?

Absolutely graduation for cohort who that is set for next month.

And author Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative.

He is set to be the commencement speaker.

3 more cohorts are waiting in the wings and impact is currently working on admissions for cohort number 6.

Right now, viewers can read more about this story on our website as well.

Our own Blair, Paddock and WBEZ Alex