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STOPMAX Conference Speaker Bios

Rubin "Hurricane" Carter

4:30 -7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 30th, 2008
Kick-Off Event at Eastern State Penitentiary, 220 Fairmount Ave
Rubin "Hurricane" Carter

Former boxer, writer, human rights activist, Doctor of laws, CEO & founder of Innocence International, a new generation of wrongful conviction services. Born on May 6, 1937, he has lived in Toronto Canada since his release from prison. Defending innocent people from wrongful convictions has become his life’s work.

The life of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter has taken many twists, from obscurity to acclaim and back again. Carter’s boxing career began in 1961, and his fast and furious style made him a crowd favourite. Five years later, while preparing for a World Championship fight, Carter was arrested for triple murder. Although steadfastly maintaining his innocence, he was convicted and sentenced to three life terms, narrowly escaping the electric chair.

In 1974, upon the publication of his autobiography and the recantations of the state’s two key witnesses (criminals who admitted they had lied at the trial), Carter’s case attracted international attention. He became a civil-rights cause célèbre and was immortalized in the Bob Dylan song “Hurricane”. A new trial ensued, but the injustice was repeated. However, he never gave up, and in February 1988, the 22-year-old indictment was finally dismissed.

Carter spoke with former President Clinton on issues related to the death penalty, addressed the General Assembly at the United Nations, and has spoken alongside President Nelson Mandela. His story was depicted in the critically acclaimed film “The Hurricane” starring Denzel Washington. He holds two honorary doctorates from the University of Toronto and Griffith University.

Jimmy Santiago Baca

Jimmy Santiago Baca
10:15-10:45 a.m.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Temple Student Activity Center

Born in New Mexico of Indio-Mexican descent, Jimmy spent five years in a maximum security prison in Arizona. Baca taught himself to read and write while in prison and has devoted his post-prison life to writing and teaching others who are overcoming hardship. His themes include American Southwest barrios, addiction, injustice, education, community, love and beyond. He has conducted hundreds of writing workshops in prisons, community centers, libraries, and universities throughout the country.  Jimmy has received numerous literary awards and honors including the prestigious International Award for his memoir A Place to Stand.
   In 2005 he created Cedar Tree Inc., a nonprofit foundation that works to give people of all walks of life the opportunity to become educated and improve their lives.  Cedar Tree provides free instruction, books, writing material and scholarships. Cedar Tree has an ongoing writing workshop in the Albuquerque Women’s Prison and at the South Valley Community Center. Cedar Tree also has an Internship program that provides live-in writing scholarships at Wind River Ranch, and in the south valley of Albuquerque. The program allows students, writers and poets the opportunity to write, attend poetry readings, conduct writing workshops, and work on documentary film production.  

Laura Whitehorn

6:30 -7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 31st, 2008
Temple Student Activity Center
Laura Whitehorn

Laura who is 63 yrs old served 14 years in federal prison, including several years in a control unit for women near Tallahassee, Florida. Since her release in 1999, she has lived in New York City, working as an editor at POZ magazine, a national publication for people affected by HIV.