Before I had language for mediation or facilitated conversation, I learned something foundational through reentry work: people do not become less human because they have been incarcerated, but they are often treated as if they have. 
In the United States, more than 600,000 people return home from prison each year, and nearly two-thirds are rearrested within three years. These outcomes are often framed as individual failure, but they are deeply shaped by the conditions people.......

The Work of Seeing

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

What's not being said lately...

Early in my career, I worked as a case manager for individuals reentering society after incarceration. One of my first clients was a woman who had spent over twelve years in prison. When she was incarcerated, she was the same age I was when we met. When she was released, I was responsible for helping her rebuild the basics of her life; food, clothing, housing, medical care. From the very beginning, it was clear that something stood between us and it didn’t feel like logistics, it felt like it was something deeper.

The Conversation That Shaped My Work

Tuesday, May 19, 2026