Melissa: I’m Melissa O’Dell, executive director of Defy Ventures Illinois. I’ve been with Defy eleven years now, but I’ve been working in criminal justice reform for almost twenty. As my career developed, I realized I wanted to help people so they’d never have to enter the system in the first place. I was actually a coach with Defy before I offered to start Defy Illinois. It’s been an incredible journey so far. We’ve grown from one prison program to working in three institutions and launching a post-release program. It’s wonderful seeing all our alumni doing awesome stuff.

Nick: My name is Nick Carra. When I was twenty-four years old, I was just young, stupid, and really reckless. I got into trouble and got sent to prison, where I tried to do everything right. I was transferred to Kewanee for good behavior, where I met Melissa and learned about Defy — a reentry program that teaches basic life skills: building credit, managing finances, pretty much every skill you need. I thought that was cool, because in a normal prison setting, you just do your time and go home. At the kickoff, Melissa had great energy. Just seeing her excitement made me feel so much better about joining. I thought, “If someone genuinely believes in us as much as Melissa does, I’m going all in.” So I joined the program.

I'd always wanted to start my own business, but I never thought about taking a class to become an entrepreneur. When that class came up, a light bulb went off in my head. What I liked about it is that it's a long program and more than just business. In the beginning, they almost teach you self-reflection and how to find yourself. I feel like we all get lost at some point, and that's sometimes why we veer off course. So I liked how the first part of the course was reflective. Once we passed that, we got more into the entrepreneurship side — coming up with your own business idea, the action steps, and setting reasonable, timely goals. Being goal-oriented helps a lot because without a goal, you're just navigating with no end in sight.

When I did the Shark Tank-style pitch at the end of it, I had a different business plan — I wanted to start my own investment company. But as I thought about it, my mind changed. My dad owns a pizza company, so I want to do something called Slice of Hope. The idea is to use pizzas to raise money to support younger city kids. I hope to inspire them. If I’d had that person in my life when I was younger, things would have been different. So I want to give them an understanding of entrepreneurship and show them they can make a difference. I just got the articles of incorporation!

Melissa: The program Nick is referencing is called CEO of Your New Life. It incorporates personal development and well-being with career readiness, entrepreneurship, and reentry — all woven together. At Defy, we know it’s not one-size-fits-all, and it’s not linear. Reentering will have its ups and downs. We try to be right where people need us, with a very individualized and differentiated approach. With technology changing, many people inside have skill sets in high demand. We need more people with expertise in HVAC, manufacturing, and logistics. There will always be shifts in the knowledge economy, so we hope to keep evolving to ensure we can continue matching participants with meaningful career trajectories. But once you’re part of Defy, you’re always part of Defy.

What an inspiring community. Nick, you mentioned the program is something you have to be committed to. What’s it like?

Nick: At the kickoff, everybody’s there because it’s new and exciting. But by the time it was over, there were only fifteen or twenty of us who stuck with the whole thing. They don’t make it easy for us. The textbooks are thick, and you really have to want it [laughs]. But for the people who stuck around, it made a big impact on our lives. One of the guys, Taurus, has his own roofing and construction company. Another guy, Kennedy, started his own trucking company. The people who graduated are really taking everything Defy offered and applying it after release. It’s life-changing for the people who actually want to commit and do better.

How can readers support — both Defy Ventures and the work you represent?

Melissa: We don't want to say it's a family, but the idea is that we're all each other's keeper. Our program is meant to be not one-and-done. You can always extend your hand and help somebody else — whether you're staff or alumni, whether you're still inside or in the community.  There’s no shortage of ways to get involved. You can do a lot just by committing to dismantling the stigma around people who’ve been impacted by the legal system. We’re all human beings, and people make different choices. So get to know people and hear their stories. For Defy specifically, we need more people to come behind the wall and volunteer at our business coaching days and pitch competitions, because this doesn’t work without the community coming in to be mentors and coaches. We also encourage donations. Right now, our team is just three full-time and two part-time staffers serving the whole state. We need to 10x that to be in all the prisons where it would be appropriate for us to program.

Nick: I’m getting a little emotional right now, but I’d strongly encourage anyone reading this who feels inspired to help Defy get into more prisons. If I had more money, I’d invest in Defy because I understand how impactful it is. Also, just give us a chance. Some people who just started the program were still a bit wary of taking rehabilitation seriously. But having Defy as a program changed their way of thinking. Plus, having this support system when you get out is huge. I do have a good support system, but some guys don’t have anything to go back to. For some, this type of support can be the difference between going back to prison and not going back to prison. The Defy community means you know someone out there actually cares.

Redefining reentry: How Defy Ventures Illinois empowers entrepreneurs with empathy. An intimate look at Defy’s programming in Illinois and how it’s impacted participants and volunteers. Chicago Reporter >

Older adults coming out of Illinois prisons face steep roadblocks in their reentry journey. At least 17,000 adults age 50 and older have been released from Illinois prisons since 2014, and thousands more are in line to come out soon. Older adults are less likely to reoffend than their younger counterparts but face more hurdles to successful reentry. Injustice Watch >

How financial barriers stifle formerly incarcerated people. Fines, fees, and unemployment can have long-term impacts on individuals and communities. Here’s what some are doing to help. CPI >