In this episode of Dog In The Yard we sit down with Jose Perez, a poet, actor, and community leader whose powerful journey is a testament to resilience and transformation. Born and raised in Queens, Jose spent his childhood in foster care, group homes, and juvenile institutions before being incarcerated at just 16 years old, sentenced to 20 years to life for Murder 2 Robbery 1. After serving 20 years in New York State prisons, he was released on December 2, 2020, and has since dedicated his life to empowering others.

While incarcerated, Jose pursued education, earning degrees from Bard College, Nyack College, and a Master’s from the New York Theological Seminary. He also became a poet, actor, and professional service dog trainer, using his time to develop skills that would serve him far beyond the prison walls. Today, he is the Program Strategist for the Children’s Defense Fund-NY, advocating for young people in the child welfare and justice systems. 

Jose is also an accomplished spoken word artist and actor, having performed at The Bushwick Starr Theater, The Public Theater, and The Shed. He works as the Correctional Facility Coordinator for Compagnia de Colombari, bringing poetry and theater workshops into prisons, and co-founded "I Wish I Knew How", an arts initiative for formerly incarcerated artists. 

His latest project, https://www.amazon.com/Till-In...=sr_1_1?crid=6B2LO94EI9E7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nlc2LpKNsJBDKY2qwv_lwF9BS-XT-97HUP36iuIMO-ZBO2ntUcvmdkF5jBgC16SXVtjgs4nsxjn_S1kbPepAv41E7gmJrZt7nar40_53Uhx2eeCZzlirxgNZFZbw-yNe0X9rItV5x5JsmIiW_vtQcllRfFao2Gs0ZVvxiY1-CvLE2KMRMwCUVfslBLEc1eYfm34l1JVtorhbeUlqH828AaHhKA8N_V5q59BNUWyQp_qcQIXd0ftfA5H65qfrtDD-SOOl6SBYyPznSz3rMviBYTMLVYlh_UzpggzJ3HT9KXpARJ1YurnYcgRgP62SJBlxJGeLE_frI03BkvTHxdxManqhnNJ-oMMvX7lINLol53AylHT_ic1cUco1TO2CP90q-aGcv2w4xvIMTBIuMCgndL-oZe8ffVvJAtautKkiVR-i3YJpNmbW4cmvJJcSdVjs.YY8qPTjdV0lvtHBOo6TAZN4E-86rx9IFYO3ZORrAZZs&dib_tag=se&keywords=Till+Ink+Meets+Paper&qid=1738445532&sprefix=till+ink+meets+paper+%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-1  is a deeply personal poetry collection that tells the story of how he and his mother, both incarcerated on Rikers Island, reconnected through love letters and verse.

 📢 Tune in to hear Jose’s incredible story of survival, redemption, and giving back to his community.

📖 Get his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Till-In...=sr_1_1?crid=6B2LO94EI9E7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nlc2LpKNsJBDKY2qwv_lwF9BS-XT-97HUP36iuIMO-ZBO2ntUcvmdkF5jBgC16SXVtjgs4nsxjn_S1kbPepAv41E7gmJrZt7nar40_53Uhx2eeCZzlirxgNZFZbw-yNe0X9rItV5x5JsmIiW_vtQcllRfFao2Gs0ZVvxiY1-CvLE2KMRMwCUVfslBLEc1eYfm34l1JVtorhbeUlqH828AaHhKA8N_V5q59BNUWyQp_qcQIXd0ftfA5H65qfrtDD-SOOl6SBYyPznSz3rMviBYTMLVYlh_UzpggzJ3HT9KXpARJ1YurnYcgRgP62SJBlxJGeLE_frI03BkvTHxdxManqhnNJ-oMMvX7lINLol53AylHT_ic1cUco1TO2CP90q-aGcv2w4xvIMTBIuMCgndL-oZe8ffVvJAtautKkiVR-i3YJpNmbW4cmvJJcSdVjs.YY8qPTjdV0lvtHBOo6TAZN4E-86rx9IFYO3ZORrAZZs&dib_tag=se&keywords=Till+Ink+Meets+Paper&qid=1738445532&sprefix=till+ink+meets+paper+%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-1

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