What are you going to do now? | Eugene DePasquale | TEDxChesterStatePrison 2016
As Pennsylvania’s Auditor General and the son of an incarcerated father, Eugene DePasquale talks about the tremendous financial cost on children, with a challenge for the future. DePasquale became Pennsylvania's 51st Auditor General in 2013, and was recently re-elected to a second term. Prior to his service as Auditor General, DePasquale was a member of the state House of Representatives, where he was known as a leader in government reform.
These children are somebody | Chad Dion Lassiter | TEDxChesterStatePrison 2016
Society says children of incarcerated parents are nobody, but Chad Lassiter maintains there is a moral imperative – on the part of their incarcerated parents and policy makers - to protect, guide and create a new identity for these children. Lassiter is nationally recognized in the fields of American race relations and violence prevention among African American males.
The path to prison | Kenneth Eason | TEDxChesterStatePrison 2016
Kenneth Eason grew up in a single-parent family in a poor Philadelphia neighborhood, where statistically 7 out of 10 black men end up in prison. He did end up in prison, but as an career employee. Knowing education was the key, Eason credits his mother’s wisdom and courage to put him on the path to success. Deputy Eason has been employed by the Department of Corrections for 26 years. He started his career with the department in 1990 as a corrections officer at SCI Graterford where he became part of the Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Fire Emergency Response Team (FERT), served as a training instructor as well as a mentor. Eason also served as a training sergeant at SCI Graterford and, in 1998,was promoted to lieutenant. In 2012, Eason transferred to SCI Chester as the Training/ Administrative Lieutenant. In 2015 he was promoted to the rank of Major of the Guard and in 2016 he was promoted to Deputy for Facilities Management.
Life or death | Charles Sample | TEDxChesterStatePrison 2016
Hip hop performance. Originally from North Philadelphia, Charles Sample is the father of a daughter and two sons. His dream is to one day become a hip hop artist.
How to end veteran suicide | Ron Self | TEDxSanQuentin 2016
America would never send a soldier to fight without basic training. Yet we have sent thousands of vets home unprepared to handle the devastating mental damages of war. Speaking while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, former combat veteran Ron G. Self shares his personal struggle and outlines a plan to help our veterans. Find out more about Ron's program Boot Camp Out and the amazing work of Veterans Healing Veterans from the Inside Out, (http://veteranshealingveterans.org/donate.html). Learn more about San Quentin's exemplary Prison University Project https://prisonuniversityproject.org/, which was just awarded the National Humanities Medal. Ron G. Self, a former combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served from 1987 to 1996, is currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. While in prison, Self's personal struggles prompted him to found the self-help group Veterans Healing Veterans From The Inside Out to try to stop the alarmingly high suicide rate among veterans.
TEDxSanQuentin 2016 promo
Written, directed, and produced by Shadeed Wallace-StepterDirector of photography and editing by Brian AseyNarrated by Philip Melendez
Exercise curiosity: the wonder right under your nose | Joe Del Tufo | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Joe Del Tufo is a photographer, husband, father and a man on a journey to discover. Being a photographer has forced Joe to slow down and ask more questions about the world he inhabits. He believes that photography, like all art, is ultimately a form of communication. His goal is to find a voice that is both unique and inspirational, and share it as much as possible. He says that life is a journey about rediscovering something that we are already wired with, that we tend to lose track of as we become adults.
Discover your inner leader | Sharon Kelly Hake | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Sharon Kelly Hake is the President & CEO of Great Dames, Inc. – a social enterprise that provides services and opportunities for women to enhance their personal and professional leadership abilities while creating a legacy. Formerly Sharon had a very successful career as a global marketing and strategy leader at DuPont, during which she learned from her global colleagues, travelled extensively and lived abroad. She was taught by her father the value of creating a legacy which transpired into her founding Great Dames. She is an inspiration in her community connecting kindred spirits with purpose to activate their strengths.
Second chances and redemption | Lakisha Short | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Literally growing up within prison walls, Lakisha Short has discovered her purpose through her struggles. Serving a 55 year sentence, she maintains by sharing her story. Utilizing her talents, she has developed a creative way of change – encouraging, inspiring, and empowering others.
Second chances and redemption | Melissa Hutchison | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Melissa Hutchison is 34 years old and serving a 10 year sentence at BWCI (Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution). Her past may be what some would call traumatic, sad, and filled with grief, but none of this is holding her back from reaching her goals and thriving in the system. Her passions include culinary arts, writing, and helping others realize that they can also reach their goals.
The story of the creative vision factory | Michael Kalmbach | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Michael Kalmbach has a serious passion for helping people in his community through art. He worked at the Delaware College of Art & Design, there he founded the New Wilmington Art Association, an organization that organized exhibitions of contemporary art in Wilmington’s vacant retail spaces. In 2011 Michael developed and opened the Creative Vision Factory in downtown Wilmington, which fosters the creative potential of individuals on the behavioral health spectrum in a studio art environment that cultivates integration with the local community through a program of exhibitions, workshops, and communal workspace.
Second chances shouldn’t be a privilege | Patricia Beebe | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Patricia Beebe is the President & CEO of the Food Bank of Delaware. She has a strong passion for hunger relief efforts. In her role at the Food Bank of Delaware Beebe strategically engages community members, foundations and other public and private sectors to form vital partnerships that advance the organization’s mission of providing long-term solutions to the problems of hunger and poverty throughout Delaware. Patricia created a professional culinary training certification program that provides opportunities to unemployed and under-employed individuals and community members re-entering from correctional facilities each year.
Second chances and redemption | Ami Temple | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Ami Temple is 38 years old and is from Smyrna, Delaware. She is the mother to three beautiful children and is very close with her family. Within the first year of her 10 year sentence, she has completed the 6 for 1 Program, a behavior modification/residential community for substance abusers. Ami works as a Prep Cook in the facility kitchen, attends AA and Victim’s Impact, and is also a member of the Garden Club. While here, she has developed a passion for helping others who struggle with addiction. She plans to work as a substance abuse counselor upon release.
Second chances and redemption | Trudy Downs | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Trudy Downs entered prison at the age of 32 and has served over 23 years of a 35 year sentence. While participating in numerous programs, mental health groups and Bible courses, Trudy has become a devoted Christian. She aspires to enter the ministry to counsel others who have been beaten down by life’s circumstances, helping them to attain a renewed sense of self-worth.
Second chances and redemption | Amanda Lemon | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Amanda Lemon is a 32-year-old mother of three wonderful children and serving a 10 year sentence. She is originally from Boston, Massachusetts and has been has been living in Delaware for 15 years. She is a positive and outgoing person with a bubbly personality. Since being at BWCI (Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution), she has honed in on her culinary skills and now is inspired to be a Food Truck owner. Amanda Lemon has been active in her treatment and recovery by completing all of the programs offered to her. In addition, she is currently participating in SOAR, Survivors Of Abuse In Recovery. She looks forward to continuing her journey on the path to success.
Let's talk about mental illness | Chris Darling | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
Chris Darling helps bridge the chasm between the stigma of mental illness and society’s reluctance to discuss it. As a community leader, Chris’s platform fuels her mission to motivate audiences to talk about mental illness more openly. As someone who lives with her own mental illness, she inspires through stories - some harrowing, some hilarious - all designed to connect a wider audience with this “taboo” topic in a relatable way. Chris is founder and owner of Darling SEO, and an active member of the Christiana Rotary Club.
Second chances and redemption | Latoya Mcduffie | TEDxWilmingtonSalon 2015
LaToya McDuffie is 33 years old and was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. When she came to BWCI (Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution), 9 1/2 years ago, she was 24 years old with a 9th grade education. She has since obtained her GED and high school diploma, has completed two college courses, and transformed into a virtuous woman. LaToya has benefited from growing up at BWCI by working through her issues while attending Mental Health groups and counseling. She has become a mentor and a “big sister” to some of her peers.
Six words are the way in | Larry Smith | TEDxMarionCorrectional 2015
Hear of the origins of the 6 word memoir and the boardwalk talks with Smitty "the mayor of his section" and how a simple request lead to a movement of capturing people's stories in just 6 words. Larry delivers and encourages the use of 6 words to heal, build community, collaborate and connect. Example of 6....Small idea with big lasting effect! Connecting people through 6 words? Unbelievable the power of this idea. LARRY SMITH is the founder and editor of SMITH Magazine, and its younger cousin, SMITH Teens. SMITH Magazine is best known for launching the Six-Word Memoir® project, which is a bestselling books series and a global phenomenon. Anticipating the microblogging explosion, SMITH originally launched the Six-Word Memoir project in November 2006 in partnership with Twitter with a simple online challenge asking: “Can you tell your life story in six words?” Now more then 1 million Six-Word Memoirs have been shared across SMITH Mag sites.
Who says the past must define us? | Deborah Jiang-Stein | TEDxMarionCorrectional 2015
An open talk about being born in the most unlikely place. Overcoming your own demons and the perceptions of others. Deborah shows how the beginning doesn't have to be what defines you and that the road to a healthy life is a journey. From prison baby to national advocate and inspiration. Check it out!! If you've been more than what you were expected to be then get familiar with this woman. Deborah Jiang-Stein is a national speaker and founder of The unPrison Project a 501(c)3 nonprofit working to empower incarcerated women and girls with life skills and mentoring to prepare for a successful life after prison. Born heroin-addicted to an incarcerated mother, Deborah is the author of the memoir, Prison Baby, published by Beacon Press, described as “One woman’s struggles—beginning with her birth in prison—to find self-acceptance, proving that redemption and healing are possible, even from the darkest corners. “
Psychology professor and substance abuse counselor | Andrew Assini | TEDxPittsburghStatePrison 2015
Psychology professor and substance abuse counselor, Assini described himself as having a great potential until he dropped out of college and bottomed out after years of alcohol and drug abuse. It’s only when Assini found himself in jail, that he began his journey to recovery and, now, fulfilling his desire to help others. After earning his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Rowen University in Glassboro, N.J., Assini is now an assistant professor of psychology at the college. He also a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor, leading yoga and meditation classes at his own wellness center.