MAY 2017 40 | FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM {stories of perseverance} A SECOND ACT EX-INMATE STRIVES TO MAKE IT EASIER TO COME HOME FROM JAIL ON A MISSION TO ‘OPEN PEOPLE’S MINDS ABOUT PRISONERS’ Judy Pearson | CONTRIBUTING WRITER In the wake of a life challenge, many people use the treasures they find among their wreckage to help others who might face the same challenge. This is just one of the wonderful organizations around the Valley that has done just that, along with shining a light on the beauty of the human spir-it. Meet Sue Ellen Allen of Phoenix, founder and CEO of REINVENTING ReEntry. Frontdoors: What was the inspiration behind creating this organization, your 2nd Act? Sue Ellen Allen: In February 2002, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Five months later, I began a seven-year prison sentence for securities fraud. After I was released in 2009, I had two “aha” moments. The first was at a prison reentry conference in Florida. I was introduced to a reentry organization for newly released inmates. There are 100,000 people in Florida prisons, with another 150,000 on probation, yet this 10 year-old organization had only found jobs for a total of 140 ex-convicts. I was appalled at that drop in the bucket and knew I could do better. My second “aha” came with an invitation to sit in first lady’s box at President Obama’s last State of the Union address. While in Washington, I met with Attorney General Loretta Lynch and President Obama’s senior advisor Valerie Jarrett. They told me that the current reentry programs worked in silos, so programs weren’t as successful as they could be. I believe in education, so I created REINVENTING ReEntry to actively promote education to both the community and to former inmates on challenges reentry poses. Frontdoors: What good deeds do you do? In other words, what is your mission? Sue Ellen Allen: Ex-cons find an unwelcoming society when they leave prison. In fact, 60% will go back to prison

MAY 2017 FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM | 41 A SECOND ACT CONTINUED within three years. That’s a huge failure rate. Imagine if 60% of all patients died! REINVENTING ReEntry’s mission is to educate and reshape our society’s perception of former in-mates so they may reintegrate and be given a fair chance for employment, housing, education and entrepreneurial opportunities. Our goal is to shift the culture of America. In addition to speaking around the country, we conduct reentry simulations. Volunteers play “service providers” (bankers, potential employers, etc.) and “newly-released prisoners.” In the simulation, the “prisoners” move from one “service provider” to another, experiencing all the negative feedback that exists in the real world. These reentry simulations raise awareness of how impossible it is for ex-inmates. We’ve even had judges and prosecutors participate. They failed in the simulation and were actually ”reincarcerated” as a result. Frontdoors: Where do you see your organization a year from now? Sue Ellen Allen: I want to raise more awareness of newly released inmates’ challenges. I’d like to see the box asking if you’ve ever been convicted of a felony removed from job and housing applications. If they can’t get homes, jobs or bank accounts, they’re far more inclined to return to crime. I want to open people’s minds about prisoners. Frontdoors: Tell me about some inspiring experiences you’ve had. Sue Ellen Allen: March 1 was the national Day of Empathy. We put on our program at a Surprise charter school. The community volunteers, school staff members, and students who participated were astounded. Some of the kids with family members in prison told me afterwards, “Wow, I had no idea what my dad went through.” Now that’s how you begin a cultural shift! Judy Pearson is an award-winning writer and public speaker. Her cancer journey led her to found A2ndAct.org, and organization that supports and celebrates women survivors of all cancers as they use their gifts of life and experience to give back to the greater good. She’s working on her fourth book, appropriately titled, The 2nd Act. Read more about her work at JudithLPearson.com. This interview may have been condensed for brevity.