I’ve never been one to wait for the right time to act. If I waited for everything to line up perfectly or to become fully comfortable with something, I don’t think I’d be where I am in life. I certainly wouldn’t be writing this blog.
It would be crazy to ignore the state of America today. I won’t completely change the mission of this project but I also won’t proceed with ignorance. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. There have been calls for reform in the criminal justice system even before the killing of George Floyd and an election year is not typically the time when people come together. But as difficult as it seems right now, this is not the time to remain still or quiet.
I think we constantly have to examine ourselves and try to understand the experience of others. I know there are so many good people in my field committed to doing what’s right, but that doesn’t mean our institutions and culture are without flaws. This tiny platform I’m trying to create will hopefully shed some light on what we’re doing well, and as always, what we can do better.
On the podcast side of things, I hope to include more voices from underrepresented groups so I can learn from their experience and share their perspetive. I think that’s important and absolutely fits within the scope of Corrections Community. Given COVID-19 concerns, connecting with people in-person will be limited and we want to proceed as safely and responsibly as possible. This means we will likely conduct more interviews online, but I’d rather move forward than wait for the right time, or a return to normal that may never come.