ACJ Holds Karaoke Event for Veterans, Re-Entry Participants

Published on May 23, 2025

It’s not all hard work and no play on the Re-Entry/Veterans Pod at the Allegheny County Jail, as residents got to show off their singing abilities during a karaoke event facilitated by the Re-Entry staff in April.

The event was the brainchild of LaShaun Davis, the supervisor of Re-Entry Service Coordinators, and intern Sarah St. Arnold. The pair helped put on a talent show last December, and their brainstorming session prompted them to give karaoke a try.

“We got a lot of positive feedback about the talent show from the incarcerated population and the staff we had attending,” Davis said. “We decided to do the karaoke event to build morale, for resiliency, and create a sense of community.”

Eight residents took the microphone to sing during the event, with one individual performing his own original material. The crowd of residents and staff members often joined in throughout the afternoon.

“I thought the event went really well,” St. Arnold said. “We did have some blips and technical difficulties, and when those happened, the pod (came) together and filled in when someone was feeling self-conscious, and it built a huge amount of community – everyone singing together on the pod.”

Davis said the feedback was positive for the karaoke event and noted the population’s engagement with the event.

“And it was really wholesome,” St. Arnold added.

Media inquiries may be directed to Jesse Geleynse, Public Information Officer for the Allegheny County Jail
jesse.geleynse@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-350-1267 or 412-760-4760 (cell).