A Visit with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program
This summer, I had the opportunity to spend a day with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program at their flagship office in Houston, Texas. Before arriving, I was purposely told little about the company besides what I’d gathered from research, with the intent of me hearing their full story with no previous expectations. I came out of that building with an overwhelming reassurance that I had chosen the correct industry, and that I was on the right path.
For a basic introduction to the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, their mission is to “unite business executives and inmates through entrepreneurial passion and servant leadership to transform lives, restore families and rebuild communities.” [1] This statement, and the others found on their website, acted as my initial impression, which I was already intrigued by.
As I arrived at the office at around 7:30 in the morning, I was immediately introduced to the team. After some quick introductions, I followed them to their conference room as they participated in a game and a devotional. I was instantly surprised and pleased by the strong culture already demonstrated, and the laughter that filled the small room that swiftly uplifted spirits and eased my nerves. Afterwards, I began to engage in a few interviews to gain more information about the place I was beginning to admire.
The P.E.P. is run by its current CEO, Bryan Kelley, a former inmate and completer of the program itself. He also happened to be the first man that I interviewed. Mr. Kelley promptly began by explaining to me his own journey, and how he personally came across the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (which I might add was an incredibly moving story.) Furthermore, he spoke about their mission to help those in extremely tedious situations find a new path towards success. All of this is accomplished through their use of accountability systems, educational programs on accounting, marketing, and bookkeeping, business strategies, coaching, and more. [2] The men are able to regularly pitch their entrepreneurial ideas to a board with constant feedback, which gives them a head-start when released. The program ends through a meaningful graduation ceremony, full of rejuvenation and joy.
Following my interview with Mr. Kelley, I met with two other employees of the program. They both explained to me that the real change within the P.E.P. occurs not in the classrooms, but in the dorms. The place where the men are able to build strong relationships, compare lessons learned, and support each other in finding a calling. They also illustrated that although the P.E.P. is not a faith-based organization, it encourages the inmates to grab onto something that is exuberant and supports the creation of vitality. Although I am not a particularly religious person, I greatly appreciated the perspective.
My own calling finds a lot of peace in programs such as the P.E.P. As I want to eventually become immersed in the criminology world (although very different in some ways from this organization) the P.E.P. 's values are ones that can be taken anywhere. Really, it can travel to any realm of criminal justice and psychology itself, as Bryan Kelley explained to me that the entire program is built on a mindset change.
When leaving the building after saying my farewells, I vowed to continue to keep up with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, simply to see the progress that they make. Being in such a wonderful environment inspired me to not only persist down my own path, but also provided me an immense comfort that I was truly where I needed to be. I hope to continue to visit places such as the P.E.P. and add my own contributions to programs that want to see a magnificent change in the world.
________________
References