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Disclaimer – Auto-generated content in Spanish:
Algunas partes de esta página se generan automáticamente y podrían contener errores menores. Se recomienda usar el juicio crítico al interactuar con ella.
By Jessica Snow (Leading with Conviction™ 2023), Vice President of Operations at Flikshop:
It is well understood by now, that incarceration does not just affect an individual, but their entire family.
I survived my sentence by focusing my strength on taking things one day at a time. Letters, phone calls, and virtual visits with loved ones sustained me in the monotonous day-to-day life in the jail, but the future lingered ahead of me like one big question mark. I had never even heard the term “reentry” before, but my insides were abuzz with nerves over what life would look like in the transition home. Having a support system to come home to made me one of the lucky ones, and I was grateful that we had endured the legal process, sentencing and our season of separation with our family intact.
Reentry is difficult, but no one should have to navigate it alone.
But just as incarceration affects the whole family, reentry does as well. For me and my family, much of reentry felt like fumbling in the dark. Obtaining housing brought on entirely new challenges for us. Seeking sustainable employment felt like a maze with frustrating dead ends around every turn. Navigating probation restrictions and unexpected financial challenges often left us feeling stressed and isolated, that we were left to figure it all out on our own. Even with a loving support system, my family had never had interactions with the justice system before and even with good intentions, we all struggled with what to expect or how to support.
But what if there had been a resource available to us to guide us through this process? What if there had been somewhere to go learn how to communicate expectations in advance of an upcoming release? What if there had been a guide to help prepare the entire family not just for the joyous reunion, but for the upcoming challenges as well? What if we could have learned from the honest stories of others?
This is exactly why Flikshop created our Family Matters eBooks. Reentry is difficult, but no one should have to navigate it alone. Hundreds of thousands of families have had to maneuver these transitions across the country, but often fear discussing it due to shame and stigma. We wanted to collect our own lived experiences and incorporate the voices of other families who have navigated reentry together. By compiling lessons learned, practical steps, potential barriers, support services, and stories of hope and success, our Flikshop team is hopeful that maybe the next family won’t feel as lost or alone.
Our eBook series is divided into six separate books all tackling a different piece of the reentry journey. Please let us know your feedback or any stories from your family’s journey that may be helpful for others. We’ve said it a million times, but at Flikshop, we’ll continue to shout it to the rooftops: Strong family connections are proven to reduce recidivism. We pray this is one step closer to supporting the families and community we care about most.
In our 10th anniversary year, JustLeadershipUSA’s work of educating, elevating, and empowering justice-impacted leaders continues and is growing even stronger!
This is going to be a very special time to look back on the past decade of JLUSA’s important work, the 1,600+ leaders we have helped get to the next level in their work, and even more importantly, we will look ahead to the next 10 years and beyond!
We can’t do this without you. We need your support to help us continue to do this work now and into the future. By making a donation in honor of JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, you are saying to the amazing leaders in our network who represent the 70+ million Americans who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, “I see you, and I support you!”
Please give a one-time $100 gift or set up a recurring $10 monthly donation to celebrate JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, and together we will build a fair and just U.S. Thank you!
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JustLeadershipUSA is a non-partisan organization. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the individual author or speaker, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the organization.
Since 2014, JustLeadershipUSA has maintained our commitment to ensuring systems-impacted voices are at the forefront of the movement for criminal legal reform, empowering directly impacted leaders in over 45 states with the tools, resources, and connections to transform their work.
Your donation will provide crucial support for our leadership training programs, empowering future generations of leaders and propelling the work of JLUSA and our alumni as we continue to advocate and push reform on issues that matter the most in our communities.
In just 10 years, JLUSA and our network of leaders have worked to dismantle decades of harm caused by the criminal legal system.