Degrees of Freedom

Degrees of Freedom (2024) is a documentary film directed by Jake Ratner, Kathy Boudin, Cheryl Wilkins.

Created by formerly incarcerated women, Degrees of Freedom chronicles the effort to restore college programming at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility after it was eliminated in the 1990s. Refusing to accept the loss of educational opportunity, the women organized to build a program and a lasting community of care that would go on to influence prison education efforts nationwide. Told by the women themselves, the film earned the Audience Award for Short Documentary at the Dances With Films Festival.

Cast

Kathy Boudin

Kathy Boudin

Cheryl Wilkins

Alisha X Elliott

Judy Clark

Iris Bowen

Deborah Fitzgerald

Migdalia Martinez

Nakia Watson