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Free to Succeed: Fulton “Mr. Wash” Washington

Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Almost as soon as he entered prison for a mandatory life sentence on drugs charges in 1997, Fulton “Mr. Wash” Washington got to work. He didn’t know whether or not he’d ever have an opportunity to join society again as a free man, but he’d... Read More

Free to Succeed: Peter Ninemire

Tuesday, November 1, 2022
To hear Peter Ninemire talk about his decades-long career in social work and addiction treatment, you’d never know that in 1990, he was number three on the state of Kansas’ most wanted list, or that a year later he’d be serving a 27-year federal mandatory... Read More

Free to Succeed: Naomi Blount

Thursday, October 20, 2022
“Over the years, I have written my obituary numerous times,” says Naomi Blount. “I never thought I would ever be coming home.” That’s because in 1982, she was sentenced to life in Pennsylvania state prison. She was 32 years old.   Read More

Free to Succeed: Cecilia Cardenas

Tuesday, October 4, 2022
My name is Cecilia Cardenas, and before I tell you anything about me, I want to make one thing really clear: The biggest misconception about former prisoners is that we’re still living the lifestyle that got us into trouble and being incarcerated. That we are... Read More

Free to Succeed: Mandy Martinson

Monday, September 19, 2022
When a second chance means a chance to work hard to regain a profession lost and be there for a dying father … Mandy Martinson never thought she’d see the day when her father would be walking her down the aisle at her own wedding.... Read More

Free to Succeed: John Gargano

Monday, September 12, 2022
John Gargano graduated from New York University in May 2021 with a 3.91 GPA. Like a lot of recent graduates, he wasn’t sure what was in store, but he hoped to return to the restaurant industry, where he’d enjoyed the work.   Read More

Free to Succeed: Ernest Boykin

Tuesday, September 6, 2022
“2027” is written boldly on the back of Ernest Boykin’s phone as a reminder of the year he would have been released, had he not been granted compassionate release. “Every day not behind the fence, every day that I’m free, is a win for me,”... Read More

Free to Succeed: Stephanie Nodd

Thursday, September 1, 2022
Stephanie Nodd loves her job. She’s an inventory specialist at a trucking company, Action Resources. She recalls how happy she was in her interview to hear her future boss say, “Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody deserves a second chance.”   Read More
Steven Hawthorne

“What’s Your Legacy Going to Be?” A Second Chance at Life

Thursday, May 5, 2022
Steven Hawthorne’s story shows how second chances make sense. When he got his second chance and was released from Illinois state prison, Steven started building a productive life of service — and he hasn’t stopped since. Right now, there are too many people in Illinois... Read More