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I Remember by Jerry Smiley
I Remember I remember sixteen in ninety-three. I remember seventeen in ninety-four. I remember hearing boy you losing your mind? I remember Incarceration in ninety-five. I remember ooh-wee you going to that Alto spot. I remember hearing those words and my heart nearly jumping out my chest. I remember diesel fumes and cigarettes smoke. I…
Read MoreUS History: Changes in the Land
Instructor: Louise Milone Fall 2021 Whitworth Women’s Facility The Whitworth students will be studying America’s development and its impact on the environment. Description: “In the late 1970s, a young graduate history student wrote a paper that in 1980 became an award-winning book. It is slim volume, but it makes a singularly important point – every…
Read MoreDifferent Re-entry Approaches: A Series by Michael Clark
I never understood nor thought of how challenging re-entry posed until I got out two years ago. As I left, I walked into a new life and a new set of obstacles I was not prepared for. I could not have anticipated the stigma that came from having a record in social and professional settings.…
Read MoreWords Matter by Patrick Rodriguez
“Put your hands behind your back!” “Stop right there, inmate!” “Everyone on the ground!” “You have 3 minutes to eat. Hurry up! Let’s go!” “Wake up. It’s time to go to court!” “I have Mr. Rodriguez here for the crimes listed. Mr. Rodriguez, were you using those drugs? Mr. Rodriguez, were you selling those drugs?”…
Read MorePath Toward Peace by Michael Clark
One of the first questions people ask me when they find out I went to prison is: “How did you feel when you got out?” I often wonder if people expect me to tell them how great I felt about my newfound freedom. But the truth is my first year out of prison was quite…
Read MoreAmerican Family Insurance & Common Good Atlanta
CGA has been honored with a donation from American Family Insurance as part of the ‘Free to Dream’ initiative. Dr. Sarah Higinbotham, co-founder of CGA, was presented with the donation at the Atlanta United game. As part of their Uniting Atlanta Series, they created a Common Good Atlanta Video that spotlights our organization and gives…
Read MoreThe Post-Pandemic Path by Michael Clark
It is with immense honor and gratitude that I find myself writing this column for the community that has supported and become a second family to me over the past year. My journey with Common Good Atlanta started last year after I applied and got rejected from the college I previously attended. I wanted to…
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