Suchergebnisse

How do you hold on to hope after more than twenty years of imprisonment? For Alice Marie Johnson the answer lies with God. For years, Alice lived a normal life without a criminal record -- she was a manager at FedEx, a wife, and a mother. But after an emotionally and financially tumultuous period in her life left her with few options, she turned to crime as a way to pay off her mounting debts. Convicted in 1996 for her nonviolent involvement in a Memphis cocaine trafficking organization, Alice received a life sentence under the mandatory sentencing laws of the time. Locked behind bars, Alice looked to God. Eventually becoming an ordained minister, she relied on her faith to sustain hope over more than two decades -- until 2018, when the president commuted her sentence at the behest of Kim Kardashian West, who had taken up Alice's cause. In this honest, faith-driven memoir, Alice explains how she held on to hope and gave it to others, from becoming a playwright to mentoring her fellow prisoners. She reveals how Christianity and her unshakeable belief in God helped her persevere and inspired her to share her faith in a video that would go viral -- and come to the attention of celebrities who were moved to action. Today, Alice is an icon for the prison reform movement and a humble servant who embraces gratitude and God for her freedom. In this powerful book, she recalls all of the firsts she has experienced through her activism and provides an authentic portrait of the crisis that is mass incarceration. Linking social justice to spiritual faith, she makes a persuasive and poignant argument for justice that transcends tribal politics. Her story is a beacon in the darkness of despair, reminding us of the power of redemption and the importance of making second chances count

This article examines parent perceptions of paraprofessional roles and employment conditions. Nineteen mothers of 23 children who received special education services in general education classrooms with support from paraprofessionals participated in focus group interviews. This exploratory study revealed that these mothers identified closely with paraprofessionals and believed that they were compassionate, dedicated people who functioned in four major roles: Connector, team member, instructor, physical caregiver/health needs provider. Participants also identified problems associated with paraprofessional employment including the lack of training, low pay, and lack of respect for the position, resulting in high levels of turnover. Respect for paraprofessionals was of particular concern to the mothers, who believed that the respect accorded to paraprofessionals reflected the respect accorded to their children.

Criticisms of theory, design, and research connected with a workshop involving Catholics and Protestants from Belfast are assessed by the organizers and consultants responsible for the project. Differences in role and commitment are advanced as partial explanations for divergent assessments of the workshop.