Film Screening and Panel: Urban Impacts of the 13th Amendment
Adopted in 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and ended involuntary servitude... except as punishment for convicted criminals.
Join the Understanding and Responding to Mass Incarceration Conference and End Slavery in Minnesota Coalition on Thursday, April 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. for a screening of the documentary 13th and a panel discussion with experts and organizers on the impact of the exception clause—and the continuation of slavery in prison labor across Minnesota.
Learn more about the panelists below!
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Melina Abdullah is Professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA’s College of Ethnic Studies, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter – Los Ángeles and Black Lives Matter Grassroots, where she is also Director. She is a leader in the California Faculty Association (the faculty union), both locally and statewide, and mama of three. Dr. Abdullah earned her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in Political Science and her B.A. from Howard University in African American Studies.
Abdullah has authored numerous articles and book chapters. Known by the moniker, Doc Melly Mel, she is creator, host, and producer of the radio program This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580, columnist at the Los Angeles Sentinel, and is a recognized expert on race, gender, class, and social movements. In April 2024, Abdullah was announced as vice-presidential pick for Dr. Cornel West in his run for President of the United States on a platform of “Truth, Justice, and Love.” She is the first Muslim to run for the Vice-Presidency.
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Kevin Reese is a writer, organizer, and movement strategist working at the intersection of storytelling, justice, and community transformation. He is the founder of Until We Are All Free, a platform rooted in advocacy, service, and narrative change for directly impacted communities.
Reese played a key role in advancing criminal justice reform in Minnesota, including co-chairing the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act Committee (2022–2023), which helped pass key legislation expanding pathways to rehabilitation and second chances. He currently serves on the National Criminal Justice Association’s Equity in Criminal Justice Funding Committee (2022–Present).
He is a Galaxy Leader Fellow supporting visionary leaders working to transform the criminal legal system through culture and storytelling. His leadership and impact have been recognized with the 2023 NAACP Freedom Award, the 2024 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honor, and the 2025 Minnesota Black Collective New Suns Fellowship.
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Farji Shaheer is a healthcare professional that lives and breathes healthcare essentials by promoting a healthy lifestyle and following up to see if a healthy lifestyle is sustainable. He has worked diligently at the County Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota for over 20 years. In this capacity, Farji provides healthcare assistance and bedside mentoring to those suffering from mental health crisis to traumatic gunshot wounds. He spent 15 years of his path at the Hospital working primarily in Acute Psychiatric Services where he provided advocacy and compassionate care for those suffering mental health crisis.
Farji was part of a team that spent 5 years developing and implementing a hospital-based violence intervention program designed to assist and provide resources for victims/survivors of gun shot wounds, stabbings and assaults. In recognition of his leadership efforts that resulted in a drastic reduction in the number of repeat victims of violence, Farji was awarded special commendation from Mayor Jacob Frey and the City of Minneapolis.
Farji is also Founder/Executive Director of Innovative Soulutions, which is a newly formed non-profit organization that will provide alternatives to both individuals and corporations that seek to successfully engage and educate themselves on making positive, effective Solutions around equity, inclusion and diversity.
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Satara Strong-Allen is the Executive Director of Love First Community Engagement, a nonprofit based in Saint Paul that is building a school-to-success pipeline with culturally competent mentorship to connect young people to their purpose and a village of support.
Satara receives the deepest joy from connecting with and creating affirming space for youth to be their authentic selves. For more than a decade, Satara has worked directly with young people in the Twin Cities through the schools, nonprofits and direct grassroots organizing, and takes pride in her ability to help youth find their voices, step into social justice and self-define their unique roles in making our communities stronger and more vibrant. Drawing on her own childhood experiences and southern upbringing, she offers trauma-informed care and open-hearted connection to youth of all backgrounds, with a particular passion for helping Black girls discover and embody their full, unapologetic Black joy and power. Her goal for Love First is to identify and dismantle the obstacles to youth liberation through targeted programming and individualized work to help young people feel heard, affirmed and supported to chart successful futures on their own terms.