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Honoring Mary Evans' legacy and finding opportunities after prison

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Will Davis/ WYSO
Heidi Arnold, left, and Courtney Alspaugh

Finding employment after incarceration can be challenging, but community support can make a difference. In the season premiere of WYSO’s ReEntry Stories, Heidi Arnold and Courtney Alspaugh reflect on the barriers people face when returning home from prison, the importance of employment opportunities and the connections that help people move forward. They also remember Mary Evans, the series’ creator, and discuss how her legacy lives on through the stories of people navigating life after incarceration.

Heidi Arnold is a Professor of Communication with more than 30 years of experience in teaching. She has taught inside several of Ohio’s prisons and finds purpose in supporting people as they transition from incarceration back into their communities. Born in Southeast Ohio, Arnold’s roots are tied to her father’s bicycle shop and her grandparents’ garden and garage. Beyond her passion for writing, she enjoys ice cream, macro-photography, and the company of old people.
Courtney Alspaugh was born in Ohio and holds a certificate in plumbing. She takes pride in using her skills to serve others and is a caregiver for her elderly grandmother, an experience that has strengthened her commitment to compassion, responsibility and service.