WMU PRESIDENT MAKES HISTORIC VISIT TO COLDWATER CAMPUS

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WMU’s iconic Waldo Library in Kalamazoo. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

March 9, 2026, Western Michigan University President, Russ Kavalhuna, visited the WMU-Coldwater campus for the first time since becoming president of the university in 2025. Lakeland Correctional Facility (LCF) in Coldwater, Michigan, is home to the WMU Higher Education for the Justice Involved (HEJI) program. Efrén Paredes Jr. is one of the 37 students currently enrolled in the progam who are pursuing Bachelor of Liberal Arts degrees with a major in Interdisciplinary Studies.

In addition to HEJI students attending the event, Dr. Dale Brown, HEJI Program Director, and other HEJI administrative staff, including Macgwire Hidden and Sacelia Strong-Sangster, were also present. LCF Warden Russ Rurka and members of his adminstration were in attendance as well.

Prior to the event, HEJI administrators invited students to submit prose or poetry writings for possible selection to be read during President Kavalhuna’s visit. Efrén’s submission was among six messages selected to be read that day. Each student read their own writing or had someone read it on their behalf in their absence. In addition to sharing his message, Efrén was asked to also introduce the WMU President at the conclusion of his reading.

President Kavalhuna delivered a moving and impactful message to all in attendance. Along with sharing glimpses of his personal academic and professional journey, he inspired students to remain dedicated to their coursework and doing their best. He also thanked HEJI administrators for their positive contributions to helping make the program a success, and expressed his gratitude to the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) and facility administrators for their partnership and providing space for WMU to operate.

After responding to all the pre-submitted questions he was provided, President Kavalhuna fielded additional questions from students and interacted with all attendees He also took photographs with the entire HEJI student body, and was photographed with each of the student cohorts individually.

The event was a positive experience for all. Below is the text of the message that Efrén shared prior to introducing President Kavalhuna.

* * *

As a proud undergraduate student in my junior year attending Western Michigan University’s Higher Education for the Justice Involved (HEJI) program, it has brought me immense joy to witness the transformative power of this program’s impact in my life, as well as in the lives of my learning partners.

In 2023, twenty-two individuals were selected for enrollment in the first HEJI student cohort at the WMU-Coldwater campus. As time passed by, we began expanding our inner worlds and experiencing profound change. We also began building community in a housing unit we share together. People once strangers have become friends — like family in many instances — and are helping one another foster a culture of care and learning.

Our growth is touching the lives of other individuals as well. When I am on visits with family and friends, or talking to them on the telephone, I frequently share the lessons I learn in my classes with them. I also write about them in articles and essays I publish. These moments have helped inspire my daughter to embark on her own college journey as a sophomore in high school through a middle college program she will begin participating in next year.

Developing critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills through the HEJI program is helping students make better choices during our incarceration, and prepare for our eventual return to society. We are steadily growing and learning, and preparing for the day when we can rejoin our communities as returning citizens. We look forward to showing the world through the power of our example, that every human being is more than their worst mistake, and we each possess the enormous capacity for change.

As a proud part of the HEJI program, I remain committed to working diligently on my continued personal evolution, and doing all I can to help forge a bright future for the WMU-Coldwater campus. With the second cohort of wonderful WMU students here with us today, and a third cohort on the way, we aspire to leave a legacy of higher education that endures far beyond our graduations. President Kavalhuna, thank you for your leadership and for your long-awaited visit to our campus.

Please welcome Western Michigan University President Russ Kavalhuna.

* * *

#WMU #GoBroncos #HEJI #CollegeInPrison #MICHEP #EducationTransforms #HopeInAction #LiberationThroughLearning

EFREN PAREDES JR. WRAPS UP FALL 2025 SEMESTER OF COLLEGE

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Efrén Paredes Jr. finished the first semester of his junior year in Western Michigan University’s Higher Education for the Justice-Involved (HEJI) program, where he is working toward a Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. This past fall he enjoyed his courses in Media & Society, African & African-American Studies II, and Introduction to Economics. His hard work paid off too. He earned an A in each class and continues maintaining a 4.00 GPA.

During his winter break from college, Efrén took time to breathe and reset. He was able to visit with family, work on finalizing an essay he has been developing for publication, and he read the new bestselling books “Notes On Being a Man” by Scott Galloway, and “Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit” by Brené Brown.

Reflecting on the semester, Efrén shared, “The past semester was a great experience and I enjoyed each of my classes. I had great professors, and my fellow students and I learned a lot. Each course expands our horizons and reinforces the value of the academic experience. College-in-prison programs are definitely transforming lives and the carceral spaces we live in, and the ripple effects continue spilling over into the lives of everyone we come into contact with.”

His words remind us that education isn’t just about earning credits — it’s about opening minds, building community, and creating change that reaches far beyond the classroom. When one person grows, the entire environment shifts. When one student succeeds, hope spreads.

Sending Efrén best wishes for continued success as he steps into the spring semester beginning January 12, 2026. His journey shows what dedication, courage, and vision can achieve, even in the most challenging places.

2025 Free Efrén Flyer

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NEW FREE EFRÉN PAREDES JR. FLYER AVAILABLE

A new flyer is now available to help amplify the call for justice for Efrén Paredes Jr., and support the commutation of his death-in-prison (i.e., life-without-parole) sentence. Arrested in 1989 at the age of 15, Efrén (now 52) has spent 36 years behind bars—seventy percent of his entire life. Although he was the youngest of four teenagers charged with the crime, he is the only one still incarcerated. Three other defendants were released more than twenty years ago.

Today, Efrén is someone who believes in the power of positive change. He is a Western Michigan University undergraduate student in his junior year, a journalist, and a social justice changemaker who works for justice reform, racial equity, and the empowerment of marginalized communities. As a leading voice in the campaign to end death-in-prison sentences for minors, he has published numerous articles in regard to juvenile life without parole sentences (JLWOP), and has been featured many times on radio shows and podcasts.

You are invited to join the chorus of juvenile justice and human rights advocates across the nation supporting the campaign to free Efrén. Together, we stand in strong opposition to condemning individuals to die in prison for crimes they were charged with as children. By supporting this campaign, you can help champion this critical cause and promote a more equitable and humane criminal legal system.

Download and share the new Free Efrén flyer today to raise awareness and inspire others to take action. The high-resolution 8.5. x 11 inch flyer is free and ready to print or post digitally. You can display it anywhere people gather:

– Social justice rallies, teach-ins, and public forums
– College campuses and student centers
– Faith-based institutions and community centers
– Libraries and bookstores
– Workplaces, break rooms, and union halls
– Homes, front windows, and neighborhood bulletin boards
– Art galleries, theaters, and cultural spaces
– Civic engagement hubs
– Local businesses, coffee shops, and barbershops
– Your social media profiles and digital communities

You can download the flyer here: https://bit.ly/ep25flyer.

You can also sign the online action tool to send a direct message to Governor Gretchen Whitmer urging her to grant Efrén’s commutation of sentence request: https://bit.ly/free-efren-now.

A list of Efrén’s accomplishments during his incarceration can be accessed at: https://EfrensWords.home.blog/Efrens-Accomplishments.

#FreeEfren #AbolishJLWOP #AbolishDBI #JusticeForYouth #SecondChancesMatter #EndMassIncarceration

Thank you for your time and consideration.

In Solidarity,

The Injustice Must End (TIME)
Committee to Free Efrén Paredes Jr.
https://fb.com/Free.Efren
EfrenUncaged@gmail.com

Documentary Film About Efren Paredes, Jr. Coming to Lansing, MI

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You are cordially invited to the reception for the film installation “Half Truths and Full Lies.”

“Half Truths and Full Lies” is a multi-channel documentary film installation that depicts the case of Efren Paredes, Jr., who was arrested at age 15 and sentenced to life without parole in 1989 for a murder he asserts he did not commit. He has spent two-thirds of his entire life behind bars and will soon be 46-years-old.

The reception is Friday, March 15, 2019, from 5 – 8 p.m.

Location:
Casa de Rosado
204 W. Mt. Hope
Lansing, Michigan

Filmmaker Tirtza Even and members of Efren’s family will be in attendance at the reception. Efren will also be calling in to the event from prison throughout the evening. He will be available to answer questions and participate in media interviews.

The reception is being held on the 30th anniversary of Efren’s original arrest date. A selection of his essays, poetry; and an in-depth, revealing, exclusive new interview with him about his personal life and decades of experiences during his incarceration will also be available at the gallery.

You are encouraged to use our Facebook event page to invite friends in your network to view the film installation, to share the event on your social media platforms, and ask others to do the same. The Facebook event page can be accessed at: http://www.bit.ly/HTFL315. You can visit the event page for any updates between now and the opening reception.
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“Half Truths and Full Lies” is a collaboration film project between nonfiction filmmakers Tirtza Even, Meg McLagan, and multimedia producer Elyse Blennerhassett.

The exhibit will be on display from March 15 – April 12, 2019. It is free and open to the public.

The film depicts, through documentation and reenactment, the case of Efren Paredes, Jr., a Latinx man from Michigan, who was arrested at age 15 and sentenced to life without parole for a homicide he asserts he did not commit.

The multi-channel installation takes on a Rashomon-like quality, as divergent accounts of the crime accrue, forming multiple portraits of Efren. These accounts reflect perspectives of a range of individuals, from a police detective to key witnesses from the tight-knit small town community who singled Efren out, as well as of those whose lives — over the past 30 years — were most affected by the teen’s conviction: family members, teachers, and citizens who sat in judgment as jury members.

“Half Truths and Full Lies” tells a story about a story; one constructed by a group of teens who appear to have conspired to set up their peer, and whose narrative played on stereotypical assumptions about racial minorities. This account became the only one the public and the jury got to hear, and the one upon which the local police and prosecutor relied.

The installation, however, is also a story about a handful of alternative, untold stories, and at their center — Efren’s story of innocence. The project attempts to recuperate conflicting narrative possibilities, and to investigate the nature of truth-telling in both media and the law.

The goal of the film is to create a new form of storytelling that unfolds nonlinearly and in space: to surround the viewers with incompatible slivers of the narrative, and have them piece the story together themselves. Even when added up, however, the various angles of the story form a broken and inconsistent whole. The goal is to generate reasonable doubt about the narrative version used by the prosecutor, and to thus undermine its certainty.

Cinematography and editing assistance: Yoni Goldstein
Additional camera: Steve Maing and Gonzalo Escobar
Sound mixing: Julian Flavin

Welcome to the interview page for Efren Paredes, Jr.

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We know that people will be visiting this webpage for a variety of reasons, and that some of you will know who Efren is, and some will not. Our “About” tab tells more of Efren’s story, and his reasons for sharing these special interviews at this time.

As someone who has grown up behind bars and spent his entire adult life in prison, Efren has faced greater challenges than most in his journey to become an open-minded and compassionate human being.  In this series of interviews, he talks about some of his struggles to grow; as well as his hopes, plans, and the beliefs that make him the person, father and husband he is today.

We welcome you here, and invite you to listen to him in his own words.