The Connecticut Hall of Change/The Great Eight/ Presents “One State One Film”

by Francette Carson, ICN Senior Correspondent

The Connecticut Hall of Change, Great 8 presents a stage production titled “One State One Film” a live performance and dialogue at Infinity Music Hall in Hartford, Connecticut. The Connecticut Hall of Change (CT HoC) is a groundbreaking re-entry program honoring and providing support to formerly incarcerated persons in the Connecticut state or federal systems. “The Hall of Change Great Eight is designed to recognize and memorialize formerly incarcerated men and women who have transformed their lives and have made outstanding achievements and substantial contributions to their communities.”

“One State One Film” is an emotionally riveting storytelling experience produced and directed by Charles Grady. Grady has a wealth of experience in law enforcement, as an actor, and writer in film, television, and theater. Grady is committed and dedicated to judicial reform and has merged his passion and experiences to produce a production that will change lives.

The CT Hall of Change presents a stage production each year to highlight issues associated with the disparities in race and the criminal justice system. The 2023 production raise awareness to the school to prison pipeline. The production presents the humbling and crippling effect of incarceration on individuals, families, and communities. The stage production was an intimate storytelling series highlighting the traumatic experiences of four heroic people that have overcome many obstacles. The stories told helps to raise awareness by humanizing previously incarcerated people, destigmatizing them as career criminals and seeing them as our neighbors, coworkers, and productive members of society, making positive changes and bringing hope to others.

The 2023 Journey of the Great 8 was comprised of four phenomenal Great 8’ers that chose to share their stories through an intimate storytelling experience on stage. Dr. Antoinette Glenn, Maggie Young, LaReese Harvey and Gordon Lyde. The four stories