03/12/2026
By Eika Hunt

Tuesday, March 24
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
UMass Lowell O’Leary Library, Room 222
61 Wilder St., Lowell, MA

Free and open to the public. Q & A with cast, director, and producers to follow

Panelists

  • Charlie Grady - Hang Time Programs CEO/Founder
    Charlie Grady is a retired law enforcement professional with over 35 years of frontline experience and a recognized leader in media interaction training. With a unique background in theater and cinema, he brings authentic storytelling and practical expertise to collaborations with filmmakers and media producers. He is also the co‑author of Reducing Recidivism through Restorative Justice, highlighting innovative Hang Time programs that support justice‑impacted individuals and integrate restorative practices across community and institutional settings.
  • Lorenzo M. Boyd, Ph.D.
    Lorenzo M. Boyd is a nationally recognized scholar in police–community relations and urban policing. He serves as the Stewart Professor of Community Policing at the University of New Haven and previously was the university’s Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Director of the Center for Advanced Policing. A former Boston deputy sheriff, he has over 25 years in higher education and is a former ACJS president and life member of National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).
  • Jeremy Brewer
    Jeremy Brewer is a former police officer turned risk control consultant, speaker, and storyteller with over twenty years in law enforcement. A 2020 TED speaker and featured voice in Us vs Them, he also serves on the Connecticut Hall of Change committee, emphasizing humanity and purpose.
  • Sgt. Ameer Williams, MA, MBA - CEO and founder of MEGA INC. Making Everybody Great Again
    Sgt. Ameer Williams is a New Haven Police Department sergeant, entrepreneur, and advocate for second chances. Born in New Haven, he transformed his life after 13 felony convictions, later earning a B.A. and two master’s degrees, and currently pursuing a Doctorate in Criminal Justice. Pardoned in 2012, he joined the police force in 2014 and became sergeant in 2021. He also founded M.E.G.A. Inc. and has helped many formally incarcerated individuals get pardons.

This event is sponsored by the School of Criminology and Justice Studies and College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. For more information, please contact Eika_Hunt@uml.edu.