For people who live in the shadows of their criminal records, overcoming the extensive legal restrictions and social stigmas is a daunting task.
People who have been incarcerated are often seen as pariahs, the result of so many negative stereotypes about them that are consistently perpetuated. Once they are released from the prison gates, the challenges they face often feel insurmountable. They face staggering rates of unemployment and discrimination, and many of them end up homeless. Without the support needed to overcome these devastating barriers, people often feel hopeless and return to illegal activities just to survive.
Success is possible though, and our film follows formerly incarcerated students enrolled in an innovative program called Rising Scholars at Palomar College in San Marcos. The program gives students the tools to not only succeed in college, but to succeed in life. Several people in the program have gone on to get degrees from prestigious universities. They have become drug and alcohol counselors, attorneys and college professors.
So next time you encounter a person who has been incarcerated, challenge yourself to see beyond the stereotypes of who you think they are based on how they look or a mistake they made years ago. They are not people who you should be afraid of simply because they went to prison. Challenge yourself to question why you have negative feelings towards individuals you do not know.
If we can all try to challenge ourselves to question those negative thoughts and make an effort to see the best in people instead of assuming the worst, the world will be a much better place for all of us.
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