News Archive

This Tuesday we hope you’ll join us for an exclusive, deeply personal story told especially for CARESCall listeners.

Mariah Lucas’ mother was murdered. It’s hard to imagine surviving that loss. Perhaps even harder to imagine is her decision to sit down with Jason Clark, the man convicted of the crime. 

Ms. Lucas and Mr. Clark chose to meet through a victim-offender dialogue led by Javier Stauring of the group, Healing Dialogue and Action. 

The results were life-changing for them.  Hearing their story could be life-changing for you. 

Their meeting inspired Van Jones, and ultimately they were featured in the new CNN series, “The Redemption Project,” which is currently airing on Sunday evenings. This week we have the honor of having them on the CARESCall where they will tell their story with a special focus for families and friends of people in prison. As always, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions. 

Prior to their meeting, Mr. Stauring prepared them separately, helping them get ready for whatever might happen. This type of dialogue focuses on providing answers for surviving family members, and gives the person who committed the crime an opportunity to take responsibility for his or her actions. It is a step towards repairing the damage caused by the crime. 

Ms. Lucas and Mr. Clark’s dialogue had a profound impact on their lives, and they formed a deep connection. Hear what happened the day they met, what they are doing now, and their hopes about what will come from sharing this powerful story with the world.

CARESCall
Tuesday,
May 21, 2019 at
8:00 pm
Jason Clark, Mariah Lucas, and Javier Stauring
All are welcome!
Call: (515) 604-9384 Code: 313882#

About Jason Clark
Mr. Clark returned home after serving 23 years in prison and is active in the restorative justice movement. He is the program coordinator at Healing Dialogue and Action. He also works with InsideOUT Writers, an organization that uses creative writing as a way to reduce juvenile recidivism. There, he is helping to develop The Redemption Podcast.  He is a member of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, assisting people as they are released from prison. Before joining Healing Dialogue and Action, Mr. Clark worked as a case manager at the Homeless Outreach Program in Los Angeles. He has lobbied in Sacramento, advocating for restorative justice-focused bills. He lives with his girlfriend in Los Angeles, and they enjoy exploring food festivals and shows in the city.

About Mariah Lucas
Ms. Lucas credits the dialogue with Mr. Clark with altering her career trajectory. In the last three years she has volunteered with organizations across the country and helped implement strategies to increase awareness, healing, and forgiveness as ways to reduce the cycle of crime and victimization. A recent graduate of DeVry University and trained in justice administration, Ms. Lucas plans to start her own non-profit. She is dedicated the idea that all people are worthy of happiness, peace, and love, regardless of what they have been through. Her memoir, “I Became: The Stories Within My Scars,” recounts her abusive upbringing. She hopes her book will inspire strength in others to speak out against their abusers. Ms. Lucas lives in Texas, is married, and the mother of three children. 

About Javier Stauring
Mr. Stauring is the executive director of Healing Dialogue and Action (HDA), and has spent his entire career accompanying young people in the juvenile and criminal justice systems, survivors of crime, and families of both. Prior to joining HDA, Mr. Stauring served as the co-director of the Office of Restorative Justice of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, where he managed the largest Catholic detention ministry program in the nation, as well as the victims’ ministry. He is committed to the radical transformation of the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Mr. Stauring was instrumental in the production of “The Redemption Project.” He mediated two of the featured victim-offender-dialogues (VODs) and through his connections with the California Department of Corrections ensured the production of four other VODs which took place in prisons. He believes in the principles of restorative justice which call for reconciliation and healing of victims, offenders, and their communities.

Did you miss this call? Click on this link to listen! On this CARESCall, we welcome two incredible people who have recently paroled after many years in prison. Home for just a few months, Lynn Noyes and Leif Taylor are embracing life and already giving back to their communities. Tuesday night, they will share their experiences of adapting to life outside of prison. Join us to hear what it has been like to adjust to a transitional home, learn new skills, and navigate personal and professional obstacles. They will offer advice and take your questions.

If welcoming home a loved one is in your future, this is a great opportunity to hear how you can be the best possible support during their transition.

About Lynn Noyes:
Lynn Noyes is a Navy veteran, a domestic violence survivor, and mother of two. Sentenced to 25-years-to-life for crimes that, in part, involved self-defense, she returned home in December, 2018. While incarcerated, Ms. Noyes focused on acquiring skills to help others, and she gained an impressive array. She became a grief counselor, helping women in prison cope with loss. Ms. Noyes knew what it meant to grieve in prison: She lost her 21-year-old daughter to suicide. While at Valley State Prison, she started a domestic violence educational program known as Living Outside Violence Everyday (LOVE). When she was moved to Central California Women’s Facility, she started the LOVE program there, and additionally worked in the prison hospice program. Ms. Noyes built up her leadership skills through advocacy work inside prison with the groups, Justice Now and Survived and Punished. She also was trained to facilitate restorative justice discussions.

Ms. Noyes is currently at a veteran’s transitional center, residing in Monterey County. She is an active volunteer, attends lifer parole meetings, and enjoys dancing, drumming, and running.

About Leif Taylor:
At age 16, Leif Taylor was sentenced to Life in Prison without Parole (LWOP). Incarcerated for over 26 years, a new law made parole possible, and Mr. Taylor was welcomed home in January, 2019. Early on in prison, Mr. Taylor reflected on how his actions affected his victim’s family and his own. He turned his life around and pledged to never commit acts of violence again. However, due to his LWOP sentence, initially Mr. Taylor was not allowed to participate in programming in prison. He was able to start while fighting his case in county jail, obtaining a high school diploma and certificates of achievement from self-help groups. By the time Mr. Taylor went to board, he had an impeccable record with no disciplinary write-ups. He credits his church and faith in sustaining him.

Mr. Taylor now works with Caltrans, beautifying landscapes, roads, and beaches, and he is an active member of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. He has gone to Sacramento, where he advocated for youth justice bills. He currently resides at a transitional home in Los Angeles County and has a brother and sister-in-law as his support system. Mr. Taylor was able to see his mother for the first time this past week since being released.

This is going to be a CARESCall that you do not want to miss!

CARESCall
Tuesday,
May 7, 2019,
8:00 PM
How to Live a Fulfilling Life While Navigating Parole
Lynn Noyes and Leif Taylor
All are welcome!
Call: (515) 604-9384 Code: 313882#

Is a parole agent in your future? For many people who earn release from prison, a parole agent will be a part of their lives when they get out. Parole agents supervise people who are on parole, assisting them in developing rehabilitative plans. They visit their homes, ensure compliance with parole rules, and monitor people’s lives. If you have a loved one working towards release, knowing what to expect on parole is important.

On our next CARESCall, we welcome CDCR parole agent Maria Mendoza. Agent Mendoza will share how she works closely with the people on her caseload, helping them transition to life outside of prison. She also will explain the elements of an effective parole plan, and provide advice on how you can play a role in your loved ones’ success.

Agent Mendoza will additionally describe how to manage common obstacles returning citizens face, including finding employment, getting dependable transportation, securing housing, and completing education requirements, among others. These issues can be a source of stress for a family, but they can be addressed with careful planning and ongoing support.

Did you miss this CARESCall? You can listen to a recording of this call by clicking on this link!

CARESCall
Tuesday,
April 16, 2019,
8:00 PM
How to Survive on Parole
Maria Mendoza, Parole Agent
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
All are welcome!
Call: 515-604-9384
Code: 313882#

On the next CARESCall, you will hear from three dedicated members of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) team. We’ll begin our discussion with Esteban Nuñez, ARC’s Sacramento coordinator, who will walk us through the bills they hope to pass this year. Later, we’ll hear from ARC life coaches, April Grayson and Aldo Romero, who will describe ARC’s approach to planning for success on the outside. They will also talk about how ARC members can become involved with policy work in Sacramento and elsewhere. You will hear about ARC’s resources for parole planning, parole hearings, and re-entry. Listen in to learn how to become involved with ARC, or just get advice from their life coaches about how to support your loved ones inside and out of prison. This is going to be another great CARESCall!

If you have a loved one who is preparing for parole or recently released from prison and in need of advice or services, this is a CARESCall that you do not want to miss.

CARESCall
This Tuesday,
March 19, 2019,
8:00 PM
Esteban Nuñez, April Grayson, and Aldo Romero
Anti-Recidivism Coalition
All are welcome!
Call: (515) 604-9384
Code: 313882#

Yours,
Dennis Flynn, CARES for Youth
Elizabeth Calvin, Human Rights Watch
___________________

More about our CARESCall panelists

About the Anti-Recidivism Coalition
The Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) is a support network for, and comprised of, formerly incarcerated individuals devoted to changing their lives by becoming leaders in their communities. ARC accomplishes its goals by providing job training, and connecting its members to employment, housing and educational opportunities in order to help them acquire the social capital and skills necessary to support themselves and their families. ARC began as an annual camping trip bringing together a few dozen formerly incarcerated young people with positive mentors to offer encouragement, guidance, and resources. Today, ARC has grown into a support and advocacy network of hundreds of members, and hundreds more volunteer mentors and allies, committed to helping one another through reentry and advocating for a just criminal justice system. 

Esteban Nuñez
ARC Sacramento Coordinator
Esteban Nuñez spent six years incarcerated in California prisons. His childhood  was marked by loss and difficult family issues, and as a teen he sought support from the wrong places. Surrounding himself with misguided friends and risky environments, he ultimately committed a serious crime. Nuñez used the time he was locked up to examine his life, think deeply about the things that led to his crime, and confront the ways he had hurt others. He chose a new path, one committed to a greater purpose and service to others. His priorities now are a deep spiritual life, higher education, and work in service to the community.

Upon release, Nuñez helped open ARC’s Sacramento office, where he is now employed. He is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in humanities and engineering. His greatest joy in life is helping others. He hopes to help deepen understanding of the human condition, compassion, forgiveness, and redemption.

April Grayson
Life Coach
April Grayson is a life coach for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition in Sacramento. She brings special knowledge about how justice systems harm youth and women in particular. 

Grayson was 19 years old when she entered prison, and spent 17 consecutive years locked up. Her experience gave her a clear understanding of the hardships people go through in prison. Turning her own life around, she committed to becoming a voice on the outside for incarcerated women. Grayson visits institutions to inspire and empower people inside with hope of a better life. She is a dedicated fighter for the dignity of incarcerated women, and works to change laws to ensures women are given opportunities to succeed.

Aldo Romero
Life Coach
Aldo Romero is a life coach at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition in Sacramento. There Romero teaches Transformative Mentoring practices to youth  incarcerated at the Sacramento Youth Facility, and life skills to individuals at the Sacramento County Jail. Romero helps men and women transition back into society in a thoughtful way,  building their self-sufficiency. He teaches a wide range of skills, including: fiscal responsibility, credit building, emotional regulation, and shopping skills. He also assists individuals in building technological skills and prepares them for future apartment searches. Romero’s love for this type of work comes from having served 18 years in prison, and he believes that ARC allows him to best serve those in need of a second chance.

Over 100 legal scholars from 18 law schools across California signed a letter supporting the constitutionality of Senate Bill 1391 – a new California law that prevents children below the age of 16 from being prosecuted or sentenced within the adult criminal system. Read the letter here!

Did you miss our CARESCall on February 5? We welcomed Root & Rebound’s KC Taylor, associate director, Southern & Central California programs and litigation, and Felicia Espinosa, Fresno site director and staff attorney, to the CARESCall for an informative discussion of the wide range of services offered by Root & Rebound and an introduction to a holistic approach to legal services and reentry for women. Root & Rebound is an organization dedicated to the success of people coming home from prison. It seeks to educate, empower, and support people who are in reentry or preparing for release, and it also helps those who support people coming home.

Felicia Espinosa.

On this CARESCall, you learn about Root & Rebound’s holistic approach to wraparound services. This is available to prison-impacted women in the Fresno area.

K.C. Taylor.

Root & Rebound’s Fresno office serves women in reentry to help them navigate the systems and structures that create unnecessary barriers to opportunity. A reentry attorney, a case manager, and an employment coach work to empower women and their families by creating pathways to employment and financial stability.

The services & support include:

• Counseling and Social Service Support
• Employment Support and Leadership Coaching
• Legal Advocacy

This Root & Rebound initiative addresses the need for reentry and criminal justice investments targeted to meet the specific needs of women.

Listen to the recording by clicking on this link.

CARESCall
This Tuesday,
February 5, 2019, 8:00 pm
Felicia Espinosa and K.C. Taylor of
Root and Rebound
All are welcome!
Call: (515) 604-9384    
Code: 313882#

We’re hoping you can join us for what is sure to be a powerful discussion!

___________________

More about our CARESCall panelists:

Felicia Espinosa

Fresno Site Director and Staff Attorney

Ms. Espinosa is the Fresno Reentry Women & Employment Initiative Site Director and Staff Attorney. She received her J.D. from University of San Francisco School of Law in 2009. Prior to joining Root  Rebound, Ms. Espinosa worked as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Fresno. In addition to her legal work, Ms. Espinosa has taught courses in the Women’s Studies Department at Fresno State.

While attending law school, Ms. Espinosa worked with death row inmates at the State Public Defender’s Office, and in Houston at the Texas Defender Service through the Keta Taylor Colby Death Row Project. She also represented individuals charged with misdemeanors at USF’s Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic and the Public Defender’s Offices in Alameda and Fresno County. Outside of work, Ms. Espinosa also serves her community by sitting on the Board of Directors for Fresno Barrios Unidos (FBU) and does pro bono work with Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), handling asylum cases for unaccompanied children.

K.C. Taylor

Associate Director, Southern & Central California Programs and Litigation

Ms. Taylor is an attorney and the Associate Director of Southern & Central California Programs and Litigation at Root & Rebound. She received her J.D. in 2011 from University of San Francisco School of Law (USF). While at USF, Ms. Taylor worked with death row inmates at the Mississippi Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, represented individuals facing criminal prosecution with USF’s Criminal and Juvenile Justice Clinic, and advocated for the abolishment of California’s death penalty with the ACLU of Northern California as a death penalty policy intern.

Following law school, Ms. Taylor worked as a fellow with the Mississippi Innocence Project and focused on exposing forensic fraud in Mississippi’s criminal justice system. She also worked as a staff attorney on the Criminal Central Staff at the California Supreme Court. Prior to joining Root & Rebound, Ms. Taylor was a state-appointed criminal defense attorney, representing individuals in their criminal appeals. She is looking forward to arguing one of her cases before the California Supreme Court within the next year.

Senate Bill 1437 went into effect on January 1st, making sweeping changes related to the felony murder rule, and resentencing petitions are starting to appear in county courthouses throughout California. When we get together for our next CARESCall, SB 1437 will have been in effect for just 15 days, and we will have a lot of new information to share.

When a new law is being used for the first time, many things end up being in flux. Judges, attorneys, and courts staff can struggle to figure out their roles and responsibilities, and it is not uncommon for implementation of a new law to vary to some degree from county to county. As a result, everyone has questions.

Our next CARESCall will have answers. We are happy to present a panel of attorneys who will discuss the new law and answer your questions.

Please join us on Tuesday, January 15th at 8 pm when we welcome Kellie Byward, Serena Salinas, and Jacque Wilson to the CARESCall. If you have a loved one inside who was convicted under the felony murder rule and who you think may qualify for resentencing under the new law, this is a CARESCall that you don’t want to miss!

CARESCall
This Tuesday,
January 15, 2019,
8:00 pm
Senate Bill 1437 Update by
Attorneys Kellie Byward, Serena Salinas, and Jacque Wilson
All are welcome!
Call: (515) 604-9384    
Code: 313882#

We’re hoping you can join us for what is sure to be an enlightening panel discussion!

Donate to the CARES Holiday Project: Gifts for murder victim family members

The holidays are meant to be a time of joy and happiness, but missing the presence of a loved one can mean that the holidays are  hard. Those who have lost loved ones to violence have another layer of pain to their loss.

For the sixth year in a row the CARES Holiday Project is raising money to provide gifts to murder victim families. When you participate, you let families who have suffered the unimaginable know that you are thinking of them.

The Men of Honor inmate-led group at Lancaster prison is joining us to fundraise once again, and we have already begun to get checks from people inside: Some send just a couple dollars, others send more. The thought is what counts.

Every year, the families that receive CARES gift cards are deeply appreciative: The gift helps provide a little extra for a good meal or something special for their children and loved ones. The families are especially moved that the people giving are family and friends of those in prison and people in prison themselves.

Last year, CARES provided gift cards to 80 families. Help us surpass that number this year!

We are a community of compassionate people, and this project is a direct way to act on compassion. Please consider donating any amount (no amount is too small!)

We can’t do this without your help. Please join us and send your donation to:
HRW CARES Victim Holiday Gifts
11500 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. 608
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Please make checks out to either Elizabeth Calvin, or Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch if you want it to be a nonprofit donation) with the memo line: “CARES Victim Family Gifts.” Please indicate if you would like a tax-deductible receipt.

Thank you for your continued support!