The Story Behind YouthTurns
The YouthTurns story begins behind the razor wire of a Tennessee State prison, where a social worker and a reformed convict met and started a conversation on the needs of children of the incarcerated.
Andy is the 3rd generation of his family to enter into a prison system. During his recovery and reinvention, he often wondered if there was a way to reach back into time and take that confused child, talk some sense into him and teach him a better way.
Originally serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole, Andy’s case was brought before the Tennessee Supreme Court after 27 years inside the wire. By unanimous decision, the court ruled that Andy’s case was void and granted the writ of habeas corpus. Andy was released, and he and his wife ( Andy and Linda married while Andy was still a prisoner ) set out to find the American dream.
Linda is a social worker and school teacher who watched as children of the incarcerated followed in the same failed direction of their parents. On her final day of teaching school before retirement, she asked her students how many knew someone currently in prison? Linda was floored by the number of students who had a parent in prison, and she quickly noticed that these children were most of her oppositional and defiant students.
Something had to be done.
One night in 2009, nearly five years after Andy’s release from prison, Linda and Andy decided to give up a trucking company and teaching career to pursue a passion: To start an honest conversation on generational incarceration, the lack of effective re-entry programs and jobs for ex-prisoners, and the run-away criminal justice system that had declared war on American families.
Andy and Linda have reconnected with their calling and passion. Though funding and support have been a slow trickle at times, both are much happier than before as more people sign on to move the conversation forward, lives are changed and hope is fostered.
A book chronicling the story of Andy and Linda is in progress at i am convicted. Support and awareness from the book will Youthturns expand and prepare for the journey ahead.
