Reflections from Mexico City's Building Bridges Transnational Convening

Emiliano López14 de mayo de 2025

April 23, 2025, I was honored to join the Global Freedom Scholars Network's historic transnational convening in Mexico City, co-hosted by the University of California's Underground Scholars Network and organized by Danny Murillo. I'm deeply grateful to Saúl Sarabia and UCLA for supporting my travel, and to Danny for making space for me to share the work we've been building through Project Protocol in California.

During my panel discussion at Casa Talavera I got to share that Project Protocol has grown into a digital hub where people on parole can anonymously review their parole officers, access community driven reentry resources, and contribute to collective data that exposes patterns of harm or support. We are a dedicated team of five, each bringing lived experience and technical skill, united by a shared commitment to transforming reentry from a continuation of punishment into a pathway toward dignity and stability.

I've always known that reentry isn't a uniform process, even within California but I hadn't fully imagined the complexity and pain involved when someone is forced to reenter a country they left as a child, or never knew. Conversations about deportation and survival after incarceration in an unfamiliar country were both humbling and urgent. They affirmed precisely why Project Protocol exists: to center the lived experiences of people navigating reentry, and to build systems of care, not surveillance.

Over three days, we gathered in three powerful spaces beginning with Casa Talavera UACM, the UACM main campus (a former women's prison turned university), and the Mexico City Penitentiary, to explore the intersections of incarceration, deportation, education, and public safety. I learned about Casa Libertad's transformation. I witnessed a moving graduation ceremony inside a prison, where incarcerated students from the surrounding facilities received their diplomas, an unforgettable reminder of the power of education to liberate and heal.

I also visited Reinserta, a reentry organization doing transformative work with justice-impacted individuals in Mexico. One of the most powerful moments was meeting Cesar Fierro, who was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death in Texas. After nearly 40 years on death row, he was exonerated and released—but received no compensation for the time he lost. His dignity, strength, and story stayed with me. You can learn more through the documentary The Freedom of Fierro, directed by Santiago Esteinou, and support Cesar directly:

Donate to Cesar Fierro’s GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-cesar-fierro-rebuild-his-life

It was a privilege to be in dialogue with so many brilliant organizers, educators, and advocates, including:  

Dr. Baz Dreisinger, Lee Ragsdale, Santiago Esteinou, Cesar Fierro, Sara Roschdi, Lauren Taylor, Spanky, Anayanci Fregoso, Clint Terrell, Erick Nava, Francisco Villarruel, Julissa Muñiz, PhD, Rainbow Alvarez, Stephanie Gaskill, PhD, Shani Shay, Waldemar Cubilla, José Miguel Saucedo Lara, Terrell A. Blount, MPA, Majid Mohammad, Maritza Lopez, and many others whom I met. Much love to everyone! I also want to shout out Maria Martinez, Program Manager of Firme Coding and Project Protocol Board member, for being a great thought partner. 

I left Mexico City with a heart full of gratitude and a renewed sense of urgency. Project Protocol was created to uplift our communities, and that community must be as expansive, inclusive, and resilient as the people we serve. This convening marked the beginning of something bigger. I’m inspired to explore a cross-border collaboration to support justice-impacted communities beyond borders.

Support the Work

At Project Protocol, we use community-sourced data and lived experience to transform how people on parole navigate reentry, through transparency, peer support, and access to trusted resources. We're using our existing resources to build pathways to expand this work internationally, starting with Mexico.

• Donate to support Project Protocol's mission: https://youngwomenfree.app.neoncrm.com/forms/project-protocol

• Follow us on social media: Instagram @Project.Protocol Tiktok @ProjectProtocol Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/projectprotocol/

• Reach out if you're building reentry pathways in your community—we'd love to connect.

Together, we're building systems for liberation, not exploitation!