Marlon Chamberlain, Englewood Community Project Manager for READI Chicago, discusses his work with Dirk van Velzen, CEO at the Prison Scholar Fund, in this episode of Our Social Impact. Marlon reflects on violent crime prevention strategies employed by READI Chicago and the effects of underinvestment in South Chicago communities. Dirk and Marlon also discuss reacclimating to life after prison and creating positive reference groups in at-risk communities

https://youtu.be/HYtNmbfjrP8

Salena Taylor, Founder of Partial to Girls, joins Dirk van Velzen, CEO at the Prison Scholar Fund in this episode of Our Social Impact. Salena discusses overcoming the trauma of incarceration, the difficulties of life on parole, and the barriers faced by those reentering society from prison. Dirk and Salena also dive deeper into how Jackson College in Michigan is assisting incarcerated people access education and invest in the future.

https://youtu.be/YCKPeRFRQBM

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Juan Flores, a member of the Underground Scholars program at U.C. Berkeley, explores his unlikely journey to college with the Founder and CEO of the Prison Scholar Fund, Dirk van Velzen. Juan discusses his incredible journey from prison to the top public university in California. Tune in to learn about Juan’s current research at Berkeley, the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated people seeking education, and how Underground Scholars is making college possible for those with criminal convictions.

https://youtu.be/EgkgPqdCyzI

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Hakim Crampton, Founder and Director of AMEN 4 Youth, sits down with Dirk van Velzen, Founder and CEO at the Prison Scholar Fund, to discuss his experience with the Innocence Project, life on parole, and his current work as a juvenile justice advocate. In this episode, Dirk and Hakim swap stories from their experiences going through the clemency and parole systems, and from their time with JustLeadershipUSA. Hakim also does a deep dive into his work teaching students hip-hop and rap to improve their literacy levels and classroom engagement.

https://youtu.be/4C5Glqz8jhU

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Michael Cheever, College Success Foundation Executive Vice President of External Affairs, and Anthony Peterson, Alumni Board Member, share their experience supporting first generation college students with Dirk van Velzen, CEO at the Prison Scholar Fund. Hear about the evolution of College Success Foundation from a scholarship awarding organization to an academic support system for students beginning in middle school and running through college . Michael, Anthony, and Dirk also discuss structuring effective mentorship programs and creating robust community partnerships to promote college-going cultures in underserved communities.

https://youtu.be/STuKJDL6Aac

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Listen in as Almetta Pitts, Founder of Attemla Consulting and TeamChild board member, joins Dirk van Velzen, CEO at the Prison Scholar Fund, to discuss interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. Almetta brings her insight to undoing institutional racism, addressing implicit bias, and viewing the prison system through a human lens. Learn about Almetta’s path from teaching in South Korea to her work promoting diversity, equity, and belonging here in the United States.

https://youtu.be/3jOK8IP-1fg

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Violeta Alvarez, the former Program Director for the Underground Scholars Initiative at U.C. Berkeley, discusses her experience as a formerly incarcerated person with Prison Scholar Fund CEO, Dirk van Velzen. Violeta and Dirk explore navigating college with a criminal record, the push to “Ban the Box,” and the inequities created by the current public defender system. Violeta breaks down the amazing work being done to destigmatize formerly incarcerated people attending college and shares her personal journey from the prison system, to U.C. Berkeley, to Hastings Law School.

https://youtu.be/s13myDN8U6I

Life after prison can be daunting. Goldie Russell sits down with Dirk van Velzen, CEO at the Prison Scholar Fund, on this episode to Our Social Impact to talk, hardships, triumph, and perspective. Goldie approaches transition with the attitude that fear will not guide it as it can produce beautiful fruits, thrilling experiences, and a unique perspective that even Ghandi could be proud of.

https://youtu.be/3bvwywB2RtY

Nicholas Bradford, Founder and Executive Director at the National Center for Restorative Justice (NC4RJ), sits down with Dirk van Velzen, CEO at the Prison Scholar Fund, and unpacks how Restorative Justice is a “relational approach to conflict.” Primarily working in schools the NC4RJ has created a language that speaks to our human nature to connect and be in community. Conflict makes that difficult and we need strategies and systems that will address those difficulties, besides our traditional way of exclusion and isolation. King County, Washington, has initiated a Zero Youth Detention Initiative, this goal will need both deep community support and political commitments. Restorative Justice when implemented well can be a game changer for communities, victims, authors of harm, and police. We have to question our assumptions about how we respond to harm in school and in our community.

Stanford undergrad Jason Spyres talks with Dirk van Velzen, CEO of the Prison Scholar Fund, about his journey from being a poor youth and making mistakes based upon improper notions of what success is, and how he came to a clear understanding of what he wanted for himself, and the impact he wanted to make upon society. After being released from a 30-year prison sentence for nonviolent cannabis offenses, he went back to school and eventually transferred to Stanford University, where he currently studies computer science. Jason reveals his understanding of the barriers others face, including institutional and systemic barriers that are not equal across all demographics, and works daily to help equalize the playing field.