Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series: Malcolm Thompson
A ferry ticket is required to reach Alcatraz. Purchase tickets at Alcatraz City Cruises. We recommend the 12 PM boat or earlier.
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.
Through his personal journey from growing up without his father, to incarceration, to now working for CORE Reentry Services, Malcolm has learned that many of the decisions that lead folks into cycles of incarceration come from unprocessed emotions, trauma, and reacting instead of thinking. During his talk, he will share how emotional intelligence became a survival skill for him before and after being incarcerated.
“It helps you manage anger, avoid conflict, and make better decisions in high-pressure environments where one reaction can change your life,” Malcolm explains. He now teaches others who are navigating the reentry process how emotional intelligence can be a foundation for growth. “Emotional intelligence is not weakness. It is power. It is the difference between repeating cycles and creating real change.”
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 37.827781, -122.424828
Schedule
Date:
Time:
Duration:
Event Type
- Talk