KaDeWo - The Joy Advocate

"They say, the first 24 hours behind bars are the hardest." - '12 Inside Student, Graduation Day In the Fall of 2012 I spent every Tuesday night in Pennsylvania's State Correctional Institution in Graterford ; it is a maximum security prison for men. Among the 14 selected Criminal Justice majors, I was the only Education major approved for the community-based-learning (CBL) course .  I eagerly joined the fresh "outside" inductees, in the   Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program . I am extremely honored to be an alumna of this program. The course will challenge your views and force you to consider what you have been taught as well as what you truly believe. From the moment I learned about the CBL course I was intrigued and wanted to know how I could be a part of the movement...The powerful movement of bringing people from the "outside" inside prisons to work with "inside" students to discuss prejudices, poverty, and perspectives. The idea of

Yesterday, I and several other women of various ages had the pleasure of listening to the dynamic Miki Agrawal speak about her passions, ventures, and book. This 36 year old entrepreneur is an inspiration to many, including yours truly. All the attendants were present for the Saint Joseph’s University’s 2015 Women’s Conference: Live Your Truth: Be Your Own Champion and we were in for a surprise as Miki presented our plenary speech during lunch. Like myself, many of the women I asked were not familiar with any of Miki’s organizations and were energized by her spirit. Miki is the founder of WILD and helped launch Super Sprowtz with her twin sister. When Miki shared her dual purpose for the innovative THINX brand under garments tears sprang to my eyes (…and later I let out a hearty cry – I have never before ACTUALLY met someone committed to helping girls and women in developing nations to stay in school to provide opportunities for economic development in their communities). Miki i

Questions I urge you to answer or at least consider prior to reading: How did I learn about drugs? How does society define a drug? Do I agree with harsh penalities when people are convicted of "drug related crime"? Happy New Year to all! After reading Dr. Carl Hart's book, High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self - Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society in the summer of 2013, I felt compelled to share my thoughts on this serious issue.   As an educator, I feel we should revisit the topic of drugs in schools and the consequences students face when they violate "no tolerance" policies, specifically surrounding drugs. Did you use drugs in your youth? Do you feel experimentation as an adolescent is a part of growing up? It is...I am not just saying words. In the nearly 7 years I have spent in higher education learning how to be a valuable educator for secondary students, I have had to take several courses relating to