For Venida, For Kalief
For Venida, For Kalief debuts the poetry of Venida Brodnax Browder, mother of Kalief Browder who at age 16 was sent to New York’s notorious Rikers Island jail complex for allegedly stealing a backpack. After three years of solitary confinement, he was released without charge, but later committed suicide at the age of 22.
By taking us on a poetic journey between past, present, and future the film exposes systemic injustice while centering a mother’s unwavering love, a family’s path toward healing, and a community determined to see the end of solitary confinement and see the closure of Rikers Island Jail transform it into a renewable energy center.
The film lyrically weaves poetic visuals and rare archival imagery from 1970s New York, while revealing how an individual’s life—and afterlife—can transcend boundaries to ignite social change once thought unattainable.
About the Issues
Centered on the enduring legacy of Kalief Browder and the poetry of his mother, Venida Brodnax Browder, For Venida, For Kalief is a solutions-based film that lyrically explores the difference between jails and prisons, which are often conflated in most discussions regarding mass incarceration.
The film follows activists that uplift the memory of Kalief Browder as they advocate for Local Law 42 to end solitary confinement in NYC, bail reform, and the closure of dysfunctional and harmful facilities like Rikers Island Jail that often lead to deaths of people who are awaiting trial — all while humanizing the lives of impacted people and dismantling harmful narratives of victimhood and showcasing empowerment.
The film also sheds light on the realities of closing Rikers Island Jail by the legally-mandated deadline of August 31, 2027, and highlights an emerging intersection between criminal justice and environmental justice, using the proposed Renewable Rikers initiative as a case study to inspire innovative approaches to addressing the climate crisis.
For Venida, For Kalief is part of the inaugural Represent Justice Screenings Circle slate, featuring four films that use storytelling to examine the history, present, and future of movements to end mass incarceration.
Explore the other featured films and learn more about the Screenings Circle.