Week 11: Approaching the Culmination of this Rehabilitative Journey

Hello, everyone! As I approach the culmination of my rehabilitative penology project, I’ve been reflecting on the extensive field research I’ve conducted at the Fortune Society. Over the past few months, I have been privileged to have had the opportunity to gather a wealth of data from individuals who actively shaped, participated in, and laid the groundwork for the very justice system I have dedicated my senior project striving to explore and make sense of. Today officially marks the day that my work, in its entirety, has been consolidated into a comprehensive presentation for you all to see! This presentation brings together all the insights I’ve learned about the intersection of rehabilitation and the field of penology, laying bare the ramifications that restorative programs hold on both, the participant within it and those who work to assemble it. Admittedly, the process of distilling all of this data into a lone, coherent narrative has been daunting, yet gratifying, for it has allowed me to harmonize seemingly disparate experiences across advocacy, research, and direct service into actionable insights for lasting change.

In addition to this presentation, I’ve completed the first draft of my senior project deliverable—a 10+ page document outlining my proposed solution to my research question. At the core of my proposition is Food for Fairness, which, as of now, bears the title of being a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation; a corporation I meticulously designed to address the systemic issues in the penal system through rehabilitation programs centered around food security and “fairness.” In this extensive document, I delineate my corporation’s mission, the forthcoming programs we intend to launch, and our governance structure, detailing how we’ll operate within the context of the broader carceral field. In attendance with this proposal, I’ve finished preparing a compendium of official documentation affirming the veracity of my NPO: including, but not limited to, Food for Fairness’s legal papers, ancillary sheets, bylaws & ordinances, and pertinent corporate materials, such as my company seal and share certificates – all of which have been compiled into a corporate kit for submission to my faculty adviser. 

Rest assured, I will keep you all thoroughly informed throughout the final stretch of my project – truly, I can not thank you enough for following me along on this journey. Looking forward to updating you all next week; have a great rest of your day!