Skip to Main Content
New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

(Graphic by Priya Tharwala)

Unseen Wounds

"We spoke about serving in the military, the similarity between the army and incarceration, and grappling with unseen wounds."
Andy Lopez May 13, 2020

Something about F, as I knew him, stood out at Wallkill Correctional Facility. Mostly it was the way he carried himself — with a calm, military bearing. F is about 6 feet tall,...

After more than a decade in prison, Omar Padilla has been released since graduating from PEP. Padilla is a published poet and writer and an advocate for marginalized communities. (Photo by Victor Porcelli)

Often A Barrier, Incarceration Led These Six Students to NYU Degrees

For the third year in a row, students from Wallkill Correctional Facility graduated with associates’ degrees from NYU through its Prison Education Program.
Victor Porcelli, News Editor October 28, 2019

Omar Padilla never received a high school diploma. He dropped out after his junior year and joined a gang. But on Monday, he received an associates’ degree in Liberal Studies...

Graphic by Sophia Di Iorio.

Sociology of NYC Mixtape

Students enrolled in NYU’s Prison Education Program at Wallkill Correctional Facility put together the ultimate New York City mixtape.
Jermaine Haywood with his son, Jermaine Jr., after receiving his diploma through NYU's Prison Education Program. (Photo by Sam Klein)

Behind Bars, Three Men Graduate With Their NYU Degrees

Jermaine Haywood, Rakeem Golson and Isaac Ray graduated from NYU’s Prison Education Program on Monday.
Sam Klein, Managing Editor October 29, 2018
Jermaine Haywood, Rakeem Golson and Isaac Ray graduated from NYU’s Prison Education Program on Monday.
Jermaine Haywood speaks at his graduation. (Photo by Sam Klein)

Jermaine’s Journey

"Out of 24 people who were in the class, only two passed. I was one of them.”
Joseph Beer, Contributing Writer October 29, 2018
"Out of 24 people who were in the class, only two passed. I was one of them.”
Bruce Mobley (far right) and two of his classmates in the Prison Education Program.

In Memory of Bruce Mobley

Bruce Mobley, a student in NYU's Prison Education Program, recently passed away. One of his classmates writes a piece about his lasting impact within Wallkill.
Gregory Headley, Staff Writer October 15, 2018
Bruce Mobley, a student in NYU's Prison Education Program, recently passed away. One of his classmates writes a piece about his lasting impact within Wallkill.
Out of the Box: Meeting My Mentor

Out of the Box: Meeting My Mentor

Rakeem Golson, Contributing Writer April 30, 2018

In 2012, I was a resident in a maximum-security correctional facility in upstate New York. My home was known as “the box,” the area for the most difficult inmates. At that...

Family Reunion Program Offers a Pause in Prison Life

Family Reunion Program Offers a Pause in Prison Life

Keith Golden, Contributing Writer April 30, 2018

On April 7, Miles Lewis walked out the gates of Wallkill Correctional Facility, the medium-security prison where he’d resided for more than a year. He wasn’t a free man, but...

The Gift of Gabby

The Gift of Gabby

Shawn Pettaway, Contributing Writer April 30, 2018

One afternoon in November, 30 inmates of the Wallkill Correctional Facility and their family members assembled for the graduation of the first parenting class, a project of the...

The Wallkill Journal: April 30

The Wallkill Journal: April 30

April 30, 2018

Dispatches From Wallkill Correctional Facility. Est. 2018. Welcome to The Wallkill Journal! This blog and the accompanying special section of the Washington Square News...

Meet the Swag Gods

Meet the Swag Gods

Shaquan Hinds, Contributing Writer April 30, 2018

Smoke fills the air like the exhaust of a Shelby GT. Black and Mild’s, Newports and rolling tobacco is being sparked in almost every direction. Amid all the smoke, one can smell...

Tears of a Father: The Story of Keith Foxworth

Tears of a Father: The Story of Keith Foxworth

Gregory Headley, Contributing Writer April 30, 2018

It was approximately 2:36 p.m. on a sunny April day in 2017 when Zedias Mudzimba, a 56-year-old plumber, drove past a two-story house in Queens Village and witnessed a destructive...