I met ZM early on in one of my first groups at Columbia River Correctional. A lovely man who had been in and out of prison for the past two plus decades. He couldn’t stay long in our group as he was transferred to another prison and I didn’t see him for some time. He suffered with so much grief you could almost see it weighing him down. His son had passed away 20 years ago under tragic circumstances. Although I never asked exactly him what happened, I knew he felt a tremendous amount of guilt and lived in a palpable sadness.

Last year The Insight Alliance joined forces with One Solution in Chicago and the Spark Initiative in Florida to create the IOS collective. Founded on the idea that what we can do alone is nothing compared to what we can do together. The three organizations do similar work, just with different populations. One Solution works with inner city Chicago kids and youth in Palestine and Israel, The Spark Initiative works with troubled youth and in the school system. We’re united under a common mission: Uncovering the capacity of our mind to create individual, community, and systemic change.

I recently started working in the women’s medium security prison here in Oregon. People ask me is there any difference between the men and the women. Not that I can see. We all have a core of wisdom and innate resilience no matter who we are.

Driving home from prison this afternoon I got a call from one of our graduates who had been released a few weeks ago. He said, I just had to call and tell you what happened today.

All ears, I listened to him share a really cool story.

Happy Holidays and thank you for all of your support of The Insight Alliance. We have had a very fulfilling first year and want to share a few highlights with you.

I had a sweet encounter this week with one or our program participants who released from prison this year. He’s been doing well, despite having one of those Parole Officer’s who keeps a closer that usual eye, who won’t lift his curfew even though it’s months since his release. The PO is also suspicious that DB is doing so well, that he stays calm and polite whatever she throws at him. Still, he’s working his day job but also doing some really cool stuff on the side.