A broken system does not excuse mistakes, but it does ensure that the punishment does not fairly fit the crime, particularly for individuals of certain communities, classes, and races. Ivelisse Gilestra knows this better than anyone.

Mental health is often the unsung trauma of incarceration. Any mental health problems before incarceration are exacerbated by prison and then further exacerbated by the hardships of reentry. Without help navigating complex emotions and anxieties, the immense trauma of being in prison can overwhelm and prohibit individuals from moving forward on their journey.

The forces of racism and white supremacy manifest in the system of mass incarceration. Without dismantling these driving forces behind injustice, black and brown people will continue to be disproportionately harmed by a prison system that has been designed to target them. H.O.L.L.A, a New York based organization that helps young people challenge these unfair norms, aims to fight against this injustice.

It is easy to reduce formerly incarcerated individuals to their worst mistakes, however this paints an untrue portrait of a person. Marion is a creative soul, a loving mother and grandmother, and a woman of unparalleled altruism.

Racism and socio-economic background are used in order to perpetuate mass incarceration and funnel people into prison. The world is waking up to this injustice, but far too few people are actually doing something about it. Jason Gibson is one exception.