ReEntry Stories features conversations between people who were once in prison. More than 1500 people a year return to life outside prison in Montgomery County, and, like returned citizens all over Ohio, they often have trouble finding jobs, housing, education and mental health services.
All the people in ReEntry stories were part of Sinclair Community College’s Advanced Job Training program or the Dayton Collaboratory’s X Factor Initiative.
Mary Evans and January Newport met in prison and both took part in the Sinclair program. Now, on the outside, they are both advocates for returned citizens and strong believers in education. January is a certified Chemical and Alcohol Dependency Counselor. She’s gone to Washington DC to support the Second Chance Pell Grants program. Those grants are part of a bill originally authored by Ohio Senator Rob Portman and they provide federal funding for higher education for incarcerated and returning citizens. Mary Evans is the producer of ReEntry Stories.
ReEntry Stories is produced by Mary Evans and is a collaboration between WYSO, Sinclair Community College and the Dayton Collaboratory. Funding support comes from Sinclair and the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices.
