CoreCivic's Bent County Correctional Center is located in Las Animas, Colorado, and offers a host of programming aimed at helping individuals prepare for life after release. However, one program is taking a unique approach to changing the conversation around incarceration and reentry by helping individuals on the outside and inside learn from each other. The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice is a national organization working to raise awareness on the issues around incarceration and promote systemic change. Just over a year ago, the organization began working at our Bent facility to facilitate sessions in which people from all walks of life can connect with incarcerated people for authentic conversations that promote understanding. These sessions help residents feel validated and give community participants a whole new perspective.

After one year, here is a look at the impact.