Maya Pope-Chappell

Because of another journalistic opportunity, I will no longer be contributing to the Family Life Behind Bars website.  However, as I bid farewell, I’ve gained experiences that will I’ll carry with me into my next endeavor.

Besides assisting Sandeep with maintaining the website, the experience that stands out the most is my position as the web radio host.  In this role, I was able to interview those that have been directly affected by incarceration: from a father sentenced to 15 years under the Rockefeller Drug Laws, to a grandmother who was paying hundreds of dollars in collect call fees.  As someone who has also had both family members and friends behind bars, their stories not only resonated with the listeners who tuned in, but with me personally.

I wish the website much success in it’s mission and continued commitment to bringing these stories to the forefront.

Related Posts:

Listen Now: Losing your paycheck to collect call fees?

Listen Now: Documentary filmmaker- Children of incarcerated parents speak

Listen Now: Financial advice for families and the formerly incarcerated

On Wed. Jan 27 at 9 p.m. EST, I’ll be hosting Family Life Behind Bars radio, talking to Ford about the burden of collect calls and the complicated task of sustaining a relationship between her granddaughters and their father.  Ford will also talk about the difficulty of coming to terms with her son’s conviction for killing the mother of her granddaughters and the ripple effect it had on their entire family.

I’ll also be joined by Sherry Murray, president of the Coalition to Reduce Recidivism, which aims to help ex-offenders become productive members of the community.  As the mother of a son who was formerly incarcerated, Murray has also been directly affected by the high cost of collect phone calls from correctional facilities.

Listen live by calling (347) 326-9981 at showtime or listen in online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars.  You can also ask questions or speak your mind during the show by dialing (347) 326-9981 and pressing 1.

If you’ve been affected by the high costs of collect calls, take this survey.  Also, tell us what you think in the comments section below.

[UPDATE: article today: Out of prison, out of a job, out of luck--check out the comment section, some people have no belief in rehabilitation.]

If you’re not sure which box to check when asked “have you ever been convicted of a felony?” be sure to tune in on Wed. Nov. 11 at 9 p.m. EST.

Makeba and I will be talking to David Koch who will offer advice to recently released or formerly incarcerated people on ways to find jobs.

Following his release in 1980 after serving two years in state and federal prison, Koch took a job cleaning planes and mowing the lawn.  Little did he know that the man who gave him the job was the president and CEO of a airline company.  After working his way up from cleaner to pilot, Koch went on to have a successful career.

Koch will talk about his experience navigating the job search and offer advice ranging from how to deal with the job application to handling the societal stigmas of incarceration.

We’ll also be talking to Aric Coleman and his wife Laianda.  Aric, a Detroit native who was just released in October after serving nine years in prison, will talk about his experience trying to find employment and some of the struggles he’s had in securing a position.  Laianda, Aric’s wife of almost 13 years, will discuss the effect that his job search had on her and why she has continued to support him.

Listen live by calling (347) 326-9981 at showtime or listen live online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars.

If you have a question about finding employment following a felony conviction that you would like to be addressed during the show, please leave a comment below and we’ll be sure to ask it during the show.

Elissa Thompson, just six months old, waits for the release of her mother, Christine Thompson, at New York's maximum-security women's prison in Bedford Hills, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Wednesday night’s show featured Marika Turano, the documentary filmmaker of The Word Is Love, and Ms. Lorraine Watson Sr. who became the caretaker of her nine grandchildren after their mother was incarcerated.  Unfortunately we weren’t able to get Kareem “Chuckie” Watson, one of the children featured in the film on the show due to technical difficulties, but we hope to feature him in an upcoming program.

Listen to the show to hear Turano talk about the film, what she learned while making it and the advice she has for children of incarcerated parents.  Hear Ms. Lorraine Sr. talk about the sacrifices she had to make to raise her grandchildren, the pain they endured as a result of their mothers incarceration and thoughts about her grandson currently awaiting trail at Rikers Island for 1st degree murder.

During the show, Turano will talk about the film and how the children featured in the film handled the impact of their parent(s) incarceration, including life with their caretakers, handling the stigma of incarceration, their feelings about their incarcerated parent and life after their parents are released.

One of the children featured in the film, Kasem“Chuckie” Watson, will also join us during the show.  Watson, whose mother was incarcerated for four years, will talk about the impact that his mother’s incarceration had on his life, and how he forged a relationship with her following her release.

Ms. Lorraine Watson Sr., the grandmother featured in the film who became the caretaker of her grandchildren while their mother was imprisoned, will also join the show.  Watson Sr. will discuss the impact that incarceration had on her life and the sacrifices she had to make.

Check out the link for a clip of the film below from the film and be sure to listen live during the show.  You can listen online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars or by calling (347) 326-9981.  You can also ask questions or speak your mind during the show by dialing (347) 326-9981 and pressing 1, or by leaving a comment on the site.

Listen live online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars or by calling (347) 326-9981.  We definitely want this to be an audience driven discussion so we highly encourage you to call in to ask Dr. Kessaris your question.  If you would like advice or have a question during the show, simply dial (347) 326-9981, press 1 on your phone and wait to be patched in.  Keep in mind that the number is a New York number so your phone company may charge long distance fees.  If you would like a question asked during the show, please leave your question in the comment section below and I will be sure to get it answered.

UPDATE: We have added another guest for tomorrow nights show and his name is Darryl King.  King served over 20 years behind bars and was released in 1993.  He’ll be talking about his transition from the cell to society and the struggles he had to overcome.

Benefits Check Up: Benefits program for people with limited income and resources.  (It’s not just for seniors)

Financial Planning Association: Offers helpful (and free) financial advice and tips

Public Assistance (New York Only): Information on how to apply for food stamps, health insurance, job training etc.

List of helpful organizations for formerly incarcerated people.

Also, just some general tips for our readers from Polly Maschinski, Case manager for Private Case Manangement:

* Start looking for benefits from the Federal Gov. and work down to local (City, Village and Township)
* Don’t over look private industry such as churches and hospitals
* Be prepared to wait – applications take time – no only to complete to get the answers
* Be PREPARED have all your documents with you — PROOF is what you will need to provide
* Call or write to your elected officials — you put them in office — they work for you
* Last APPEAL all denials — the denial you receive may only be the first step to the benefits you may eventually receive

On Monday, June 1 at 9 p.m., Makeba and I will be hosting a very special show.  We will be speaking to Mark S. La Spisa, financial advisor, President and co-founder of Vermillion Financial Advisors Inc. (VFA).  We’ll be asking La Spisa to share his financial expertise and answer the questions that matter to you most, including:

• * Financial advice for families with at least one incarcerated family member
• * Money saving tips for families with at least one incarcerated family member
• * Financial planning for families with an incarcerated family member
• * Financial tips for recently released individuals
• * Money saving tips for recently released individuals

Though La Spisa normally advises clients with wealth in excess of $1 million, he has personal experience with advising his own family.  After La Spisa’s cousin was locked up and sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine possession, his mother (La Spisa’s aunt) was left with no income.  Forced to deal with the reality of starting over financial, La Spisa gave her financial advice and assisted her with finding public assistance and community programs aimed at assiting low-income families.

We anticipate this show being highly informative so we strongly encourage you listen live online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars or by calling (347) 326-9981.

If you have a question about finances or would like financial advice, simply dial (347) 326-9981, press 1 on your phone, and wait to be patched in.  Keep in mind that the number is a New York number so your phone company may charge long distance fees.

If you already have a financial related question that you would like answered, please leave it in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to address it during the show.  If you have comments, suggestions, or topics for future shows, please leave those in the comments section below too.

We were also joined by Tina Reynolds, founder of Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH), who spoke about her thoughts on the report and her personal experience with having a child while incarcerated.

Listen live below and as always, please leave your comments and suggestions below.

*If you would like more information about WPA, check out their site or call 646-336-6100.

Web Radio: May 11 at 9pm

Next week’s show will be starting at a new time: 9:00 p.m. We choose this time in hopes that more people will be able to listen live and call in.  This Monday, May 11th, Makeba and I will be talking to
Chandra Villanueva, a Policy Associate at the Women’s Prison Association (WPA) and author of WPA’s new report on prison nursery programs. The report, which is a comprehensive look at prison nursery centers across the country, is due out on Monday, a day after Mother’s Day.

We’ll be talking to Villanueva about the results from the report, why it matters, and what it means in terms of new policies and potential effects on the prison system.

We’ll also be joined by Tina Reynolds, founder of Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH), an
association of women who have been empowered by personal experiences to advocate for policy changes that create barriers for women and their families during and after incarceration.

Reynolds herself was formerly incarcerated and gave birth in a prison nursery. We’ll be talking to her about her experience, how WORTH has worked to change public perceptions of incarcerated or formerly incarcerated women, and what this new report means for mothers who have been imprisoned.

This will be an interesting and informative conversation so we hope that you tune in on Monday May 11th at 9:00 p.m.

You can listen online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars or by calling (347) 326-9981. If you have a comment or question during the show (which we hope you do!), press 1 on your phone, and wait to be patched in. Keep in mind that the phone number is a New York number and your phone company will charge you for long distance calling.

As always, we welcome your comments, suggestions for guests and/or topics for future programs so please share those in the comment section below.