I spent several hours reading about nonprofit corporations today. Nonprofits interest me because I am convinced they will play an essential role in my future. Upon my release from prison, I intend to devote my working life to sharing all that I’ve learned as a long-term prisoner. Some of the ways that I will share these messages will fund themselves. For example, I expect that audiences will pay a fair price for books I write, videos I create, consulting, and other projects. But a need exists across the nation for educational materials designed for low-income, at-risk adolescents and populations. I am hopeful that nonprofit entities can help fund such projects.
As I think about the challenges associated with establishing the nonprofit and the need for funding, I feel more confident that I can succeed with this effort. Once the corporate structure is in place, I envision myself speaking to business organizations like the Young President Organizations, The Executive Committee group, Rotary and commerce clubs, as well as other business organizations to show the need and value from my work. By raising a few hundred thousand dollars each year, I could distribute materials that would contribute to safer communities.
I intend to learn more about nonprofits and to solicit help from mentors who can help me raise the resources necessary to share what I’ve learned with those who may need the information.
This morning I exercised in foggy weather. I ran 10 miles and followed with 400 pushups.
[consecutive running log: 3,430 miles over the past 387 consecutive days]
[pushups tally: 1,200]
Sunday, 3 January 2010
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3 Responses to Prison Journal: Day 8,182
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FYI – Just incase you do not already know about this foundation check out this website – homeboy-industries.com. They appear to be doing good work.
Just wanted to say that I enjoy reading your blogs — this one and your Prison Reform Blog. I don’t have any personal connection to the world of prison, but I find the whole topic fascinating.
I do have a story, though, which highlighted for me in a very striking way some of the issues you talk about as far as the difficulties long-term prisoners experience reintegrating into society. A graduate school project I worked on with a few other people was something called “eParole” — basically a set of technology-based solutions to what we considered to be the main causes of recidivism (using mobile devices, the web, etc). As technologists, we had all sorts of ideas about gadgets and social software and this and that. The shocking moment came when I had the opportunity to meet with a group of women at a halfway house, recently out of prison and on parole. If I remember correctly (and this was in NY City), they were given a little yellow photocopied book with phone numbers for job resources that hadn’t been updated in years. And that seemed to be about it. Amazing. We continued to work on the technology aspects of the project (and even gave a talk about it at Microsoft HQ, of all places), but it was clear that the real problem ran way deeper than that.
Anyway, reading your blog has taken me back to thinking about some of my experiences on that project. You’re highlighting a very pressing problem in this country and doing so in a very engaging and articulate way — I hope the right people are paying attention.
(You’re also inspiring me to go run more regularly. Heh.)
Good luck with the rest of your stay at Taft and with your new life upon release! I gather you don’t have much (or any) internet connectivity where you are, but if possible feel free to e-mail me. I’ve been reading your blogs for several months, now, and it’d be kind of cool to make contact. I run my own company doing development and consulting on all sorts of social applications of technology. Despite the failure of the eParole project, I wonder if there are new ways technology can be applied to this problem and make it easier for long-term prisoners to fit back into society upon their return and enrich their communities and their own lives.
Thanks!
I think the link is http://www.homeboy-industries.org, Carol.