A Fight for Time examines the juvenile justice system through the lens of Mickey, a 17-year-old Black youth from Washington, DC. The short film explores how trauma, poverty, and a lack of opportunity contribute to the stark reality of juvenile life incarceration.

The film plunges into the complexities of Mickey’s world, revealing how systemic forces converged to shape his fate. He is a product of an era that placed a target on young Black men during the height of the War on Drugs. His mother, Theresa, a recovering addict, battles her own demons while fighting daily to keep her family afloat and give her children a chance at a better tomorrow.

This unflinching tale is a stark look at the life of a juvenile lifer, his loved ones, and the criminal justice system that condemned him. It compels us to witness the profound and often irreversible consequences of a pipeline that funnels its youngest and most vulnerable into incarceration.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with director Edwin Micheaux and producer Dr. J. Robin Bell.

Speakers

Edwin Walker x E. Micheaux is a Creative Architect, Mixed Media Artist, and Emmy Award-winning Filmmaker dedicated to humanizing the Black narrative and empowering creators. His extensive production background includes work with Netflix, BET, CNN, and Peacock, alongside critically acclaimed projects like the Preschool to Prison documentary project, Peep Game, and Caged Birds.

As the founder of Lab Eighty 8, he curates spaces, exhibits, and installations amplifying artists of color across global hubs including Los Angeles, London, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta. Having collaborated with premier brands such as Nike, Saint Heron, and AfroPunk, Micheaux continues to disrupt and transform the intersection of art, media, and culture.

Dr. Robin J. Bell is a retired U.S. Army Veteran, CEO, educator, author, film producer, and advocate for criminal justice reform. With over three decades of leadership across military service, the Intelligence Community, higher education, and nonprofits, she has dedicated her career to community empowerment and systemic change. As Founder and CEO of Bell Consulting Group and Rehabilitation, Reform and Reentry Resources, Inc. (R4), Dr. Bell leads initiatives in workforce development, rehabilitation, and second-chance opportunities. Expanding her impact through storytelling, she wrote the story and executive produced the short film A Fight for Time (2025) to highlight criminal justice inequities and drive social reform.

NOTE: If you are a Columbia/Barnard affiliate with campus access, please use your Columbia/Barnard email when registering.

All external guests must have their OWN registration and email address.

Please email disability@columbia.edu to request disability accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs. This event will be recorded. By being present, you consent to the SOF/Heyman using such video for promotional purposes.

Register here.

COSPONSORS

• The Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities
• Casa Hispanica
• Office of the Dean of Humanities