From bars to breakthroughs: Why second chances matter

From bars to breakthroughs: Why second chances matter

Over the past year, I’ve taken calls from women I’ve mentored—formerly incarcerated and working hard to rebuild their lives. These are the moments that remind me why I do this work. Their voices, full of hope, share the same story: they’ve made it to the final stages of a job application. They’ve been upfront about their pasts, impressed in their interviews, and now they need one final thing: a reference from me, which I provide without hesitati…