Women's Health, Incarcerated. (WHInc.‪)‬ Bhavana Garapati & Vennela Vellanki

Percy describes IGNITE as a cultural change…and after hearing more about it, we have to say that we agree with him. Based out of Genesee County Jail in Michigan, IGNITE is a program that offers extensive educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals. IGNITE is steadfast in its belief that education is the key to reducing recidivism and combating generational incarceration. People in the program are given time to explore a wide variety of careers, partake in group seminars addressing financial literacy and healthy lifestyle habits, and connect with community partners upon reentry. Join today’s conversation with Percy Glover, a formerly incarcerated individual at the center of IGNITE, and Deputy Clarke, a former team member of IGNITE, to learn more about this innovative work. For more information on today’s episode, visit www.whincthemovement.org. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Fesliyan Studios.

While carceral settings are often branded as places of reform, individuals who experience incarceration in America often reflect on how so much of their time in this punitive environment is spent waiting: waiting for helpful services, waiting for educational resources, waiting for guidance and support. Those who do find ways to grow are often the exception to the norm. For our season 2 finale, we are joined by Ashley Goldon, a current DSW candidate and the Statewide Program Director of Nation Outside, as she takes us through her journey behind bars and shares how her time was lost and spent while in prison. Since her reentry to society, Ashley has worked tirelessly to bring her vision for a rehabilitative justice system to life. Tune in to hear her story and understand why change is so important. Find us on all podcasting platforms. For more information on today’s episode, visit www.whincthemovement.org. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Fesliyan Studios.

America’s criminal legal system disproportionately traps individuals who don’t have access to many resources and come from lower-income backgrounds. With exorbitantly high bails and minimal legal aid, thousands of individuals are detained in jail just awaiting their trial. This is not news to Eileen Maher, an activist working with Vocal New York and the Justice for Women Taskforce. She is also a criminalized survivor of domestic violence and spent over two years incarcerated at Rikers, Bedford, and Albion for a crime she never committed. Tune in as we hear more about her experiences navigating the system that failed to bring her justice. For more information on today’s episode, visit www.whincthemovement.org. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Fesliyan Studios.

Tashoy Miller is an entrepreneur and an activist. Through her growing business, Ground Up, she hopes to assist formerly incarcerated individuals with reentry and navigating the job market. Tash herself was incarcerated in a Mississippi jail three years ago. We sat down with her to learn more about her experience with reentry after being incarcerated in a state far from her home. Tash describes the difficulty of balancing parole and probation regulations while job hunting without any systemic support. From multiple job rejections to the lasting mental health impacts of jail, tune in to hear how Tash persevered through her journey coming home. For more information on today’s episode, visit www.whincthemovement.org. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Fesliyan Studios.

LGBTQI individuals, and more specifically LGBTQI people of color, are overrepresented in the U.S. criminal legal system. Why? And how does incarceration impact the health of people in this community specifically? For today’s episode, we delve into these issues by laying out a few facts and stats and speaking with expert Bradley Brockmann, a civil rights attorney and Assistant Professor at Brown University School of Public Health. Join us as we explore the experiences of individuals who identify as LGBTQI in the incarceration system, and discuss the impacts of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and its standards, specifically for transgender folks. For more information on today’s episode, visit www.whincthemovement.org. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Fesliyan Studios.

LaWanda Hollister is an incoming college student and a chef who aspires to start her own food truck business. She was also incarcerated for 34 years. Today, we speak with her about the experience of entering prison as a teenager and leaving as an adult, and how one’s physical and mental health is affected by decades of being incarcerated with inaccessible healthcare. We also get a glimpse into what the COVID-19 pandemic was like behind bars. Join us as we get to know LaWanda and better learn the realities of the long-lasting impacts of growing up inside. For more information on today’s episode, visit www.whincthemovement.org. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and Fesliyan Studios.