Prioritizing Women Impacted by Incarceration
Channel: Impostrix Podcast
Date: 2024-04-03

The Second Chances Mini-Series spotlights four people who are finding their way after incarceration and who have been able to build a career doing what they love. This mini-series are their stories. Up first is Gabrielle Perry, MPH. Thank you, Gabrielle, for sharing your very personal story with us. 

 In this powerful podcast episode, host Whitney Lee engages in a candid conversation with Gabrielle Perry, founder of the Thurman Perry Foundation. They discuss the challenges faced by women impacted by incarceration, discussing reentry into society, the impact of incarceration on individuals and communities, and the importance of dignity and empathy in the criminal legal system. 

Gabrielle shares her personal journey of resilience having faced being a caregiver at a young age, incarceration, and homelessness, and having succeeded in becoming an epidemiologist. Her life story sheds light on the systemic barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals. Even one day in jail uproots an entire life and the community that that life touches. Gabrielle shares too about survivors guilt after beating the odds, and recalls the moment she had to decide whether she would be upfront about her history to future employers and educators.

Through their discussion, they challenge societal perceptions and biases towards those with criminal legal involvement or criminal convictions, emphasizing the need for compassion and support in the reentry process. 
April is Second Chance Month in the United States. During Second Chance month, we bring awareness to the journey of formerly incarcerated people returning to society. Communities throughout the United States are in dire need of a stronger reentry ecosystem for those returning from incarceration and institutionalization. Formerly incarcerated people and people with arrest records, truancy records, or other involvement with the criminal legal system face a stigma that is life long and impacts the ability to someone to secure safe and affordable housing, and to secure gainful employment or access to certain careers, among other things. 

Resources Mentioned:

Thurman Perry Foundation: https://thurmanperryfoundation.org/
The Thurman Perry Foundation is a Louisiana-based non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls impacted by incarceration. They have several signature programs including the Perry Second Chance Scholarship to fund higher education for women and girls impacted by incarceration (accepting applications through April 2024!) Girl Code - a program to end period poverty in prison, and the Mothers Day 365 housing relief fund.  Donations to the Thurman Perry Foundation are tax deductible and always welcome!

To learn more and see data about the impact that the carceral system has in the United States, visit the Prison Policy Initiative at https://www.prisonpolicy.org or the Vera Institute of Justice at https://www.vera.org

Connect with Gabrielle on Twitter/X @ThurmanPerryFDN 
Find Whitney on IG @impostrixpodcast and online at impostrixpodcast.com.

This episode was edited by Chris @DigitalREM. Thanks, Chris!