<p>How long should a person be made to pay for the worst thing they’ve ever done? </p><p>Not forever, if Coop and Laura have anything to say about it.</p><p>On this episode of the <em>By Little </em>podcast, Coop shares the story of his life leading up to his imprisonment. He explains how this experience led him to founding Operation Gateway, an Asheville, NC-based nonprofit aimed at reshaping the futures of formerly incarcerated people. </p><p>Dr. Laura Chavez, Director of Research and Data at Clean Slate Initiative, join us too. She explains why Clean Slate is on a mission to unlock second chances for the over 14 million formerly incarcerated people across the U.S.</p><p>Together, Coop and Laura offer their insights on the realities of life after prison, as well as the structural changes needed to help people to avoid reoffending after they reenter society.</p><p>For the latest on Coop’s work, follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/changeagentcooper/">LinkedIn</a> and find Operation Gateway at <a target="_blank" href="http://operationgateway.org">OperationGateway.org</a>.</p><p>For more on the Clean Slate Initiative, check out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cleanslateinitiative.org/">CleanSlateInitiative.org</a>. To stay up-to-date on Laura’s research, follow her on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-agnich-chavez/">LinkedIn</a>.</p><p>And to learn how YOU can help smooth reentry for the formerly incarcerated, read our essays on the subject by becoming a paid <em>By Little</em> subscriber for $6.50 per month. </p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://bylittle.substack.com/p/unlocking-social-capital"><strong>Read: Unlocking Social Capital</strong></a> - <em>7 Ways You Can Help the Formerly Incarcerated Rebuild Their Lives</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://bylittle.substack.com/p/normalize-opportunity"><strong>Read: Normalize Opportunity</strong></a> - <em>How you can help create alternatives for the poverty to prison pipeline.</em></p><p>Visit <a target="_blank" href="http://bylittle.substack.com">bylittle.substack.com</a> for details on this and all our offerings.</p><p>Here’s to working towards better together.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://bylittle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">bylittle.substack.com</a>
