James Smith: Change Within Your Reach Ep. 53

When James Smith got out of prison in 2016, he was lost. Nobody returned his call when he reached out for help from a re-entry program. So instead, his sister, wife, and church members coached him through the changes he wanted.

"I felt ashamed if I went someplace," he said. "I felt like people would look at me and see a criminal, even if they didn't know me. So it's a miracle really to come out of it."

Today, James works as a Community Inclusion Specialist for the Alliance of Disability Advocates NC, helping other men rejoin the community after incarceration. For example, he talks with them about getting a job and dealing with mental pressure.

"Guys don't go to interviews because they don't feel prepared," he said. "They need encouragement, mock interviews… a step-by-step of how it's going to go."

Tune in as James talks about how he transitioned and some of the keys to helping others.