Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series: Leonard Boone

The Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series is a program on Alcatraz Island that lifts up and highlights the voices of people who have spent time inside of jails and prisons. The National Park Service believes in parks as platforms for dialogue, and Alcatraz Island, being one of the only NPS sites that interprets mass incarceration, works directly with people who have been affected in order to give them a platform to showcase their stories. Speaker events are offered on various Saturdays from May-September 2026, from 1 - 2 PM.

Recently paroled after completing a 24-year sentence, Leonard began his transformation with a desire to understand when his life has taken such a drastic turn. By taking classes on emotional intelligence, criminal thinking and behavior, substance abuse disorder treatment, and beyond, he realized that he had developed many negative core beliefs and character defects. Once these were identified, he replaced them with coping skills that have allowed him to be a positive member of society.

Leonard is currently a college student pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Communications, working as a student mentor in the Rising Scholars Program, and is creating a social club for formerly incarcerated students. He has dedicated his life to being a positive example and showing what someone can accomplish with sincerity and diligence.

If you are part of a justice-impacted group and are interested in attending one of the days, please email us about community tickets for these events.

If you have any accessibility needs such as ASL translation, please contact goga_accessibility@nps.gov at least 5 days in advance.

Fees

This event is free to attend.

Location

New Industries Building

Latitude and Longitude 37.827756, -122.424785

Schedule

Event Type

• Talk