On The Record: Wake County non-profit advocates for women inmates reintegrating into society
RECORD. THIS WITH WRAL NEWS.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US FOR ON THE RECORD. I'M LENA
TILLETT. YOU KNOW, JOURNALISTS
IN ANY RESPECTABLE NEWSROOM
HAVE ROBUST DISCUSSIONS AND
DEBATES ABOUT STORIES. WHAT IS
THE STORY? WHO'S THE AUDIENCE
AND WHY IS THIS WORTH LOOKING
INTO ONE DAY EARLY IN MY
CAREER, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF
PITCHING A STORY ABOUT HOW A
VIRUS WAS SPREADING WITHIN THE
PRISON POPULATION. I SHARED
THAT INMATES AND FAMILY MEMBERS
OF INMATES WERE REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT THIS AND THEY WANT
ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT WAS BEING
DONE TO PROTECT THE PRISON
POPULATION.
AND THEN SOMEONE IN THE MEETING
SAID SWIFTLY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY
NO ONE CARES ABOUT PEOPLE IN
PRISON. FULL STOP. AND THEN
JUST MOVED ON. I MEAN, THAT
WAS IT STORY CLOSED. I WAS SO
SHOCKED BY THIS RESPONSE THAT I
DIDN'T HAVE A QUICK ENOUGH WITH
TORT AND WE DID INDEED MOVE ON.
PEOPLE WHO ARE FORMER INMATES
FEEL THE STIGMA EVERY DAY.
>> NO MATTER WHAT SORT OF
COMMUNITY RESOURCES OR
CONNECTION WE HAVE.
I WALK OUT OF PRISON AND I
STILL FEEL LIKE A MAZE RUN
ACROSS MY FOREHEAD OFFENDERS
RIGHT ACROSS MY FOREHEAD.
AND THAT JUST TAKES TIME AND
INTENTIONAL WORK ON OURSELVES.
>> THAT'S MEGAN PV. YOU'RE
GOING TO HEAR MUCH MORE OF HER
REMARKABLE STORY IN A BIT IN
OUR COUNTRY. ROUGHLY 2 MILLION
AMERICANS ARE INCARCERATED AT
A GIVEN TIME. WE HAVE THE
HIGHEST INCARCERATION RATE IN
THE WORLD. ACCORDING TO THE
PRISON POLICY INITIATIVE AND
FOR WOMEN, THE INCARCERATION
RATE HAS GROWN AT TWICE THE
PACE OF MEN'S AND RECENT
DECADES. SO CHANCES ARE YOU
DO KNOW SOMEONE WHO WAS ONCE IN
PRISON FOR WHATEVER REASON AND
HAD TO OR IS NOW RE-ENTERING
SOCIETY. A NONPROFIT CALLED A
RISE COLLECTIVE BASED IN WAKE
COUNTY. ONCE THE REINTEGRATION
OF WOMEN INMATES INTO OUR
COMMUNITIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL,
ONE OF THE BIGGEST SUPPORTERS
OF THIS GROUP AND OTHERS LIKE
IT COMES FROM AN UNLIKELY
PLACE. FIRST LADY ANA STEIN,
WIFE OF GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN
WHO'S BEEN LENDING HER VOICE TO
THE TOPIC OF RE-ENTRY IN A
NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING ON
THE STATE'S JOINT REENTRY
COUNCIL. YOU'LL SEE MY
INTERVIEW WITH FIRST LADY STEIN
TONIGHT. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO
GO BACK TO MEGAN PV. SHE IS NOW
A SENIOR CARE COORDINATOR AT A
RISE COLLECTIVE AND A SHINING
EXAMPLE TO MANY WOMEN DESPERATE
FOR HOPE. THERE WAS A TIME,
THOUGH, WHEN MEGAN DIDN'T EVEN
KNOW SHE'D MAKE IT OUT OF HER
20'S.
>> WE ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN THE
THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE.
AND WE ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN
THE WORST DECISION THAT WE HAVE
EVER MADE IN OUR LIVES MEETING.
MEGAN PV TODAY, POLISHED,
SMART. IT'S HARD TO FATHOM HOW
A DECADE AGO HER LIFE WAS
SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL.
>> PEAVY TOLD ME SHE STARTED
USING HEROIN AS A TEENAGER IN
WAKE COUNTY AND FROM THERE, HER
ADDICTION LED THE WAY NOT HER
HUMANITY. SO I STARTED USING
HAIR OR IN AN
>> I WANT TO SAY 2012 OR 2013
AND IT WAS VERY QUICK AFTER
USING ONE TIME THAT I KNEW THAT
IT WAS GOING TO KILL ME OR
EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE WOULD
CHANGE. AND IT WASN'T MAYBE
9 MONTHS LATER.
>> AND THAT I WAS FLOATING
AROUND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE A
FRIEND'S COUCH. A FRIEND'S
COUCH AND I ENDED UP ABOUT A
MILE FROM MY DAD'S HOUSE WHERE
I GREW UP IN.
THE HOUSE THAT WE LIVED IN WHEN
I WAS A KID AND I JUST WENT
OVER THERE ONE DAY AND THE DOOR
WAS UNLOCKED. AND I SAW AN
OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WAS SICK. I DIDN'T FEEL
GOOD. AND SO I DIDN'T THINK
ABOUT CONSEQUENCES. I DIDN'T
THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT
THAT WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WAS
INCARCERATED FOR FELONY
BREAKING AND ENTERING LARCENY
AFTER BREAKING AND ENTERING
OBTAINING PROPERTY UNDER FALSE
PRETENSE AND POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ON
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. AND WHAT
I DID WAS I BROKE INTO MY DAD'S
HOUSE AND STILL A BLANK CHECK
AND SOME MONEY AND THE ONLY WAY
THAT HE KNEW HOW TO HELP ME
WAS TO TO CALL POLICE.
>> SHE'D BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE
WAKE COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM FOR
YEARS. BUT THIS TIME SHE WAS
GOING TO PRISON IN NORTH
CAROLINA. SHE SERVED A YEAR AND
THEN WAS RELEASED FOR GOOD
BEHAVIOR. BUT SHE SAYS SHE
WASN'T READY.
>> BUT THAT LIKE BEING
REARRESTED. RELIEF.
>> I'VE BEEN ON PROBATION IN
PEARL FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
AND I KNEW I WASN'T READY.
AND I KNEW I DIDN'T WANT TO
DO WELL. AND SO AT LEAST GOING
BACK AND DOING MY 9 MONTHS POST
RELEASE. I KNEW AFTER THIS TIME
I WON'T BE ON PROBATION
AND PAROLE.
>> THE NEXT TIME SHE GOT OUT
PD SAYS SHE STILL USE DRUGS FOR
A YEAR AND A HALF. AND THEN SHE
MET A SERIES OF ANGELS IN THE
FORM OF PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST
WHO CHANGED HER LIFE FROM
GROUPS LIKE NC HARM REDUCTION
COALITION, OXFORD HOUSE,
HEALING TRANSITIONS AND SELL
FLIGHT. THAT WAS IT. YOU HAVE
TO STAY SOBER.
>> WE WANT TO GO TO TREATMENT.
IT WAS JUST WE WANT YOU TO BE
ALIVE. WE WANT TO SHOW UP FOR
YOU IN WHATEVER CAPACITY YOU
WILL LET US SHOW UP FOR YOU
IT WAS IF A FEW MONTHS AFTER
THAT, IT.
I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO DO
SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND IT JUST
GOT REALLY BAD IN ONE OF THE
PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS ON THE
RAPID RESPONDER TEAM.
WORKS REALLY HARD AT BUILDING A
RELATIONSHIP WITH ME. I WASN'T
VERY EASY TO TALK TO AND I
WASN'T VERY NICE. AND SO SHE
WAS VERY PATIENT WITH ME AND
VERY KIND AND SHE CONNECTED ME
WITH RESOURCES. AND SO SHE
ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
AND I WASN'T REALLY SURE.
AND SHE TOLD ME WHAT WAS
AVAILABLE. AND SO SHE HELPED
ME GET INTO WHEN I WAS READY.
SHE HELPED ME INTO AN OXFORD
HOUSE. SHE GAVE ME A LIST OF
NUMBERS TO CALL AND SAT WITH
ME WHY COLLINS GOT 2
INTERVIEWS. SHE GOT ME AN
APPOINTMENT FOR INTAKE AT MORSE
CLINIC.
AND THAT WOULD MEAN FOR 6 HOURS
OF THAT APPOINTMENT. SHE GOT
ME ENROLL IN SUBSTANCE OF THESE
INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
AT SOUTH POINT, WHICH WAS
CLASSES 3 HOURS A DAY, 3 DAYS
A WEEK.
SHE TOOK ME TO MEETINGS AND
ENGAGED IN RECOVERY COMMUNITY
WITH ME THAT I HAD BEEN
DISCONNECTED FROM FOR SO LONG.
SHE SHOWED UP FOR ME AND TOMMY
HAD TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
IT HAD BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE
TO SHOP FOR GROCERIES OR PAY
THE PHONE BILL OR WHEN TO WORK
IN AN APPLIED FOR A POSITION
DOING ANYTHING. BUT I JUST
DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THE
WORLD. AND SO SHE WAS ON THE
LAST FIGURE THAT OUT AND SHOW
ME WHAT SHE DID ABSOLUTELY 100%
SAVE MY LIFE.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WHAT I DO
WANT PASSIONATE ABOUT IT IS
BECAUSE WE DON'T GET TO DEFINE
SUCCESS. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD LIKE TO ME WHEN WHEN I
FIRST GOT SOBER WHEN I WAS
TRYING TO GET SOBER OR WHEN
I WAS IN AND OUT OF PRISON AND
SAID THAT I WASN'T GOING TO
BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE I WENT
BACK. ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE OF MY EXPERIENCES, I
KNOW THAT WHEN A WOMAN COMES
TO US TO ARISE COLLECTIVE SEE
MAY NOT BE READY TO STAY SOBER.
SHE MAY NOT BE READY TO ENGAGE
IN PROGRAMMING. SHE MAY NOT BE
READY TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT
WITH HER LIFE. THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN
DO IS CUT TO CREATE A
CONNECTION IN A SAFE SPACE FOR
HER. SO I DEFINE SUCCESS IN
MY ROLE IS NOT IF SHE DOESN'T
GO BACK TO PRISON ON A, SHE
SAY SOBER. BUT IF WHEN HER
WORLD FALLS APART, IF SHE FEELS
COMFORTABLE CALLING ME AND
THAT'S WHAT MY PEER SUPPORT
SPECIALIST IT FOR ME TODAY.
PV IS 6 YEARS SOBER, HAS A
GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH HER
FAMILY. AND NOW IN THE POSITION
OF ANGEL FOR COUNTLESS OTHER
WOMEN.
>> SHE'S A PEER SUPPORT
SPECIALIST AND SENIOR CARE
COORDINATOR WITH THE WAKE
COUNTY ORGANIZATION ARISE
COLLECTIVE THE NONPROFIT WHICH
JUST OPENED ANOTHER LOCATION IN
CARY LAST WEEK.
>> OFFERS CRITICAL SERVICES,
INCLUDING HOUSING TO HELP WOMEN
STAY OUT OF PRISON.
>> WE PROVIDE HOUSING AND
WRAPAROUND HOLISTIC SERVICES TO
WOMEN COMING HOME FROM
INCARCERATION FROM EVERYTHING
FROM. HYGIENE, HEALTH CARE,
ACCESS TO CLOTHES, TO FOOD, TO
A CELL PHONE, TO
TRANSPORTATION, TO DENTAL.
UNEMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS FINANCIAL
LITERACY CARE COORDINATION.
AND SO YOU HAVE SOMEONE
NAVIGATING THE SYSTEMS OF CARE
WITH YOU. AND WE HAVE
PROGRAMMING IN THE ARREST.
COLLECTIVE CENTER MONDAY
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
NAVIGATES EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. WE DO SEE
THE TDT THEIR BEES WITH THE
LADIES. WE HAVE RECOVERY
PROGRAMMING, FINANCIAL LITERACY
PROGRAMMING. WE DO WRAP
CLASSES, WHICH IS WELLNESS.
RECOVERY ACTION PLANS WITH THE
PARTICIPANTS.
>> THE STAKES ARE HIGH. 3 IN 10
WOMEN IN NORTH CAROLINA
RETURNED TO PRISON WITHIN THE
FIRST 3 YEARS AFTER RELEASE
AND 80% OF SO-CALLED JUSTICE
INVOLVED WOMEN ARE MOTHERS.
60% HAVE MINOR CHILDREN RISE
SEEKS TO REPAIR THAT SACRED
RELATIONSHIP. IT IS INCREDIBLY
CHALLENGING TO HAVE BEEN
SEPARATED FROM FROM YOUR
CHILDREN.
>> AND TO GET OUT AND HAVE
SOMETIMES HAVE A CHOICE OF
GOING BACK TO THAT ENVIRONMENT
AS GOING BACK AND BEING MOM
AND THEN TAKING SOME TIME TO
GET YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND
AND BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION TO
DEAL WITH THAT DEAL.
AND THAT CHANGE AND NAVIGATING
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. AND SO
WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE OPENING
THE YEAR I CENTER.
AND SINCE MERGING WITH MATCH IS
TO CREATE A CURRICULUM AROUND
IT WHERE WHERE WE HAVE A SPACE
TO TALK ABOUT THAT WHERE WE HAD
THE TOOLS FOR PARENTING
CLASSES.
>> I HAVE FOUND EVEN AS A
JOURNALIST. AND INCREDIBLE LACK
OF EMPATHY.
FORMER INMATES AND PEOPLE
WHO'VE BEEN INCARCERATED.
I WONDER WHAT YOUR MESSAGE
WOULD BE TO SOME LINE ABOUT
WHY THEY SHOULD. INVEST IN.
GROUPS LIKE A RISE.
SUPPORT. THE MISSION OF GROUPS
LIKE A RISE. WHAT THAT WOULD
ALSO BE INVESTING IN THEIR
COMMUNITY BY INVESTING IN YOU.
>> EVERYONE. ON THIS PLANET.
WAS JOHN'S BY THE WORST DAY OF
THEIR LIVES. IT WOULD NOT BE A
BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO BE.
AND WHY WHAT I WOULD SAY IS
MOST PEOPLE NOW LOOK AT ME AND
SEE THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN
3RD.
EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY DESERVES A
SECOND CHANCE. AND AS LONG AS
WE'RE ALIVE AND HAVE HOPE AND
PHASE IN CREATING CHANGE.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR THE
PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND IT IS AN UNDERSERVED
MISUNDERSTOOD HIM POPULATION.
THAT IS COMPLEX AND INCREDIBLY.
DIFFICULT TO TO TRY TO NAVIGATE
AND WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE WITH
LIVED EXPERIENCE AT THE TABLE.
EVERYBODY.
HAS KNOW SOMEONE OR HAS MET
SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN JUSTICE
INVOLVED THERE. JUSTICE
IMPACTED AND IT'S THE SAME
THING WITH SUBSTANCE DISORDER,
MENTAL HEALTH. BUT WE'VE GOT TO
BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND TALK ABOUT
THESE THINGS. WE ARE HERE.
FORMERLY INCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL
AND PARENTS AND CHANGING THEIR
LIVES AND ARE SHOWING UP IN
POSITIONS OF POWER ALL OVER
THE WORLD.
AND PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF
POWER ARE SHOWING UP FOR THEM.
>> FIRST LADY ANA STEIN
ATTENDED THE RIBBON-CUTTING
SPEAKING RIGHT AFTER MEGAN, IF
YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED ME 6 YEARS
OF MY LIFE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
SPEAKING IN FRONT OF THE FIRST
LADY.
>> AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
AT HOME BEING A PART OF THIS
WORK IN THIS MISSION. IT'S VERY
HUMBLING. IT'S A VERY HUMBLING
THING AND AN HONOR. IT TRULY IS
AN HONOR.
>> IT WAS AN HONOR TO SPEAK
TO MEGAN. THANKS AGAIN. COMING
UP, MY INTERVIEW WITH FIRST
LADY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND A
STEIN ON HER CHOICE TO SUPPORT
WOMEN GETTING OUT OF PRISON.
COMING UP.
IF YOU ARE ALSO USING YOUR
TIME, I WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME
OF THE CARS IS YOU'RE DECIDING
TO CHAMPION. YOU'RE SHINING A
LIGHT ON PEOPLE ALSO SUFFERING
FROM ADDICTION AND MENTAL
ILLNESS. I CAN IMAGINE WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE PRISON
POPULATION. THERE'S A WHOLE LOT
OF OVERLAP THERE.
>> AND I THINK ABOUT THE OFFICE
OF THE GOVERNOR AND THEN YOUR
ROLE AS FIRST LADY. I MEAN,
THESE ARE TOUGH TOPICS.
>> WHY YOU AT WHITE DO YOU WANT
TO SHINE YOUR LIGHT ON ON
SOMETHING THAT CAN BE, YOU
KNOW, KIND OF, AS I SAY, PEOPLE
VIEW THESE FOLKS HARSHLY.
WHY DECIDE TO TAKE THIS ON?
ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T KNOW.
I I MEAN, I DO KNOW. BUT
>> I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP
PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE MARGINS.
PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING A TOUGH
GO OF IT. I FEEL LIKE.
IN THIS POSITION JUST I LOVE A
GOOD POSITION THAT.
>> IF I TAKE THE TIME TO REACH
OUT TO PEOPLE. OTHERS MIGHT
SEE AS IN A LOWER POSITION,
RIGHT? BUT IF I ELEVATE THEM,
SHAKE THEIR HAND. HEAR WHAT
THEY HAVE TO SAY. SPEND TIME
ADVOCATING FOR THEM. I HOPE
THAT AS FIRST LADY, IT WILL BE
THAT MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL THAT
I CAN HAVE THAT VOICE TO
ELEVATE THEIR POSITIONS.
SO IT REALLY IS A LABOR OF
LOVE. AND I THINK THAT I REALLY
DO LIKE A CHALLENGE
>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT
ANOTHER MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR
NORTH CAROLINA. THIS IS
SOMETHING I THINK WE CAN ALL
GET BEHIND. AND THAT'S THE
RECOVERY EFFORTS IN WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA. THAT'S
SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU'RE
FOCUSING ON SPECIFICALLY TRYING
TO GET TOURISM BACK TO THAT
PART OF THE STATE. IF BEFORE WE
LET YOU GO, I MEAN, WHAT WHAT
SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT FOLKS
TO KNOW ABOUT THAT PART OF THE
STATE AND THE NEED TO GET
PEOPLE THERE.
>> SO, YEAH, I HAVE THESE THESE
HEAVIER ISSUES THAT I'M WORKING
ON, BUT I'M ALSO TRYING TO
PROMOTE TOURISM IN NORTH CHINA
AND PARTICULARLY TOURISM IN OUR
RURAL AREAS AND PARTICULARLY
TOURISM IN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA AFTER HURRICANE
HELENE. SO WHAT I WANT PEOPLE
TO KNOW IS THAT THE VAST
MAJORITY OF WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS
AND THAT. ALL OF US WHO LIVE IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AND
PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES, THE
BIGGEST THING THEY CAN DO TO
SUPPORT WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
IS TO GET VISIT AND SPEND THEIR
TOURIST DOLLARS TO STAY IN THE
HOTEL. GO EAT AT RESTAURANTS,
GO TO OTHER AND GO TO THE SHOPS
AND DO YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
THERE. EARLY. THAT'S WHAT
THAT'S THE WAY ALL OF US CAN
SUPPORT WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
RIGHT NOW. FIRST LADY AND US
TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT A RISE
COLLECTIVE WHICH WE'VE BEEN
TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT TONIGHT.
THEIR WEBSITE IS HERE ON THE
SCREEN. OTHER SIMILAR GROUPS
HELPING WITH RE-ENTRY.
>> SUCCESSFUL RE-ENTRY, WE
SHOULD SAY AND DRUG ABUSE
TREATMENT INCLUDE NC HARM
REDUCTION COALITION, OXFORD
HOUSE HEALING TRANSITIONS AND
SOUTH LIGHT. ALL INCREDIBLE
ORGANIZATIONS, PLEASE, LOOK
THOSE UP. I DIDN'T WANT TO END
TONIGHT, THOUGH, WITH A MOMENT
OF HOPE. THERE'S A LOT OF HOPE
IN OUR CONVERSATION TONIGHT AS
WELL. BUT IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD ARE GLUED TO
ONE EVENT THAT HAPPENED THIS
WEEK WITH THE ELECTION OF A
NEW POPE FOR THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH. THE MAN CHOSEN TO
NEARLY EVERYONE'S SURPRISE
CHICAGO NATIVE ROBERT PREVOST.
HE'S TAKEN THE NAME LEO, THE
14TH THEOLOGIANS, TELLING US
THAT DECISION IN ITSELF IS
SIGNIFICANT.
>> BECAUSE LEO, THE 13TH WAS
THE FIRST SOCIAL JUSTICE POPE.
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE EMOTIONAL
SCENE THERE.
>> IN THE VATICAN. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US. HAVE A