Overcoming Darkness A Story of Hope and Resilience

Rikers: An American Jail is built around the personal testimonies of formerly incarcerated men and women who survived Rikers. Rather than using footage from inside the jail, the film relies on their first-hand stories — giving voice to the people who experienced its violence, corruption, and dehumanizing conditions. Produced and conceptualized in collaboration with Five Mualimm-ak, a survivor of solitary confinement and a prominent human rights activist, the film offers a rare inside view of the trauma that incarceration causes — not only to the people locked up, but to their families and communities. Bill Moyers, a veteran journalist known for his public affairs programs on PBS, partnered with Mualimm-ak to amplify these voices through national distribution. The film has been screened in universities, city halls, and grassroots gatherings, often followed by discussions about criminal justice reform and the movement to close Rikers Island. 🏝️ About Rikers Island Rikers Island is a massive jail complex in New York City, located between Queens and the Bronx. It holds mostly people awaiting trial who cannot afford bail — not convicted prisoners. Despite that, Rikers has become infamous for: Extreme violence among detainees and staff Inhumane conditions, including overcrowding, neglect, and abuse Widespread use of solitary confinement, even for minors and people with mental illness Hundreds of preventable deaths, suicides, and medical neglect cases Over the past decade, activists, formerly incarcerated leaders, and community groups — including the Incarcerated Nation Network (INN) founded by Five Mualimm-ak, the Jails Action Coalition (JAC), and the Close Rikers campaign — have worked relentlessly to expose these abuses and push for closure. ✊🏽 Five Mualimm-ak’s Role Five Mualimm-ak, who spent years in solitary confinement for a crime he did not commit, became one of the leading voices demanding justice and accountability. His work includes: Co-founding the Jails Action Coalition (JAC) to monitor jail conditions Founding the Incarcerated Nation Network (INN) to support formerly incarcerated people Helping draft and pass the HALT Solitary Confinement Act in New York Launching the movement to Close Rikers Island, beginning around 2010 Through storytelling and public education — including this film — Mualimm-ak helped shift the national conversation about incarceration, solitary confinement, and human rights. 🕊️ Legacy “Rikers: An American Jail” is more than a documentary — it’s a call to action. It stands as both testimony and evidence, helping the public see why so many activists insist that Rikers cannot be reformed — it must be closed.Five Mualimm-ak is an internationally recognized human rights activist, writer, and filmmaker dedicated to ending mass incarceration and solitary confinement in the United States. A survivor of wrongful conviction and more than five years in solitary confinement, Mualimm-ak transformed his personal trauma into a lifelong mission for justice and healing. He is the founder and executive director of the Incarcerated Nation Network (INN) — a collective of directly impacted people leading national campaigns for prison reform and reentry justice. He also co-founded the Jails Action Coalition (JAC), one of New York’s earliest watchdog groups focused on jail transparency and human rights. Five played a central role in shaping and passing the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, landmark legislation limiting isolation in New York State prisons and jails. In 2010, he helped launch the movement to close Rikers Island, which has since become one of the most significant justice reform efforts in the country. As a filmmaker and cultural strategist, Five Mualimm-ak uses storytelling to shift public perception and policy. His collaboration with Bill Moyers on Rikers: An American Jail brought the lived experiences of formerly incarcerated people to millions of viewers, sparking conversations across the U.S. about justice, dignity, and systemic change. Selected Achievements & Recognition -Founder, Incarcerated Nation Network (INN) -Co-founder, Jails Action Coalition (JAC) -Co-author, HALT Solitary Confinement Act (NY) -Organizer, Close Rikers Campaign (since 2010) Executive Producer & Participant, Rikers: An American Jail (2016, PBS/Moyers & Company) Collaborations with Bryan Stevenson, Angela Davis, Fusion Media, and national human rights organizations Public speaker and consultant on trauma, reentry, and justice reform for Columbia University, The New School, Ford Foundation, and United Nations panels Rikers: An American Jail continues to be used as an educational and organizing tool nationwide — a catalyst for reform, abolitionist thinking, and restorative approaches to justice. Five Mualimm-ak’s work bridges art, policy, and activism — reminding audiences that “those who are most harmed must lead the way to healing and change.” www.incarceratednationnetwork.com