Making life count | Jessica Reid | TEDxNebraskaCorrectionalCenterforWomen 2018

Jessica was 17 when the dynamics of her life took a turn for the worse. It took being responsible for the training of a puppy to help her grow and expand her views outside the fences of the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women. Making life count is sometimes the hardest thing to do. With the business of everyday life, we forget the most important things and miss out on what really matters. Serving time can leave you without much to look forward to. But, there is hope as shared in this presentation.

Coming to a neighborhood near you | Marriam Oliver | TEDxWashingtonCorrectionsCenterforWomen 2015

Marriam points us to the essential qualities of a good neighbor, and challenges communities to reevaluate their preconceived notions. Marriam had an active childhood playing basketball, volleyball, and taekwondo. One of Marriam’s greatest achievements is receiving two AmeriCorps scholarships, and she’s currently working on her associate degree through the Freedom Education Project Puget Sound. Marriam also uses her incarceration to speak with teens about making positive choices. Marriam believes our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

Second chances | Norberto "Rob" Rosa | TEDxGraterfordStatePrison 2014

Norberto "Rob" Rosa, director of operations for New Leash on Life-USA, asks the question, "Doesn't every living creature deserve a second chance?'' A former prison inmate, Rosa now heads a program to train both inmates and dogs rescued from kill shelters, using positive reinforcement to teach both life-changing skills. Corry, a resident of Graterford State Prison, demonstrates accomplishments with his dog, Cash.