Inside Circle

Creating space for people to tell their own stories is a powerful act of connection. Robin Graham has spent 25 years doing that work. As founder and publisher of Spotlight on Recovery Magazine, she grew a treatment facility newsletter into a publication featuring more than 400 writers in prisons and mental health institutions across 34 states. In her conversation with Eldra on the Inside Circle Podcast, Robin reflects on the personal trauma that shaped the magazine, her decision to write openly about her bipolar disorder diagnosis, and what it means for incarcerated writers to see their words in print. Their conversation invites us to consider identity, the masks we wear, and how honest storytelling can create opportunities for healing within systems where people’s voices too often go unheard. Watch the conversation: https://lnkd.in/e2sew2VQ #InsideCircle #Storytelling #Healing #Transformation

After nearly thirty years of facilitating healing circles inside prisons, Inside Circle is opening its first residential program. This September, the Healing Home opens in Sacramento: a healing-centered home for men returning from incarceration who have transformed their lives through our prison-based circles. We were honored to welcome California legislative staff and community leaders for a private preview tour of the property. Thank you to the offices of Senator Angelique Ashby, Senator Josh Becker, Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan , and Assemblymember Maggy Krell for sending representatives, and to the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) for joining us to see this work up close. $2.2 million goal. 65% already raised. One community making it real. Healing isn't a moment. It's a practice that needs roots, walls, and people who stay. The Healing Home will give our community all three. Learn more and support the campaign: https://lnkd.in/grmVEGVC #HealingHome #Reentry #InsideCircle

Our impact are MORE than numbers. They tell a story of REAL change. 100% of participants said they benefited from Inside Circle. Behind that number are people who found new perspectives, built meaningful connections, gained confidence, and took important steps toward their personal and professional goals. Inside Circle is more than a program,it's a space where growth happens, ideas are shared, and transformation becomes possible. Because lasting change doesn't happen alone. It happens in community. The results speak for themselves, but the stories behind them are even more powerful! InsideCircle.Org

What barriers are holding you back from reaching your full potential? Join us for an immersive Outside Circle Intensive, where you'll participate in the transformative group process featured in the award-winning documentary *The Work*. Guided by facilitators who have experienced their own transformations during incarceration, this program invites you to explore the unseen obstacles that limit you and discover new paths toward freedom, connection, and change. ✨ Deep emotional exploration ✨ Genuine community support ✨ Profound personal insights ✨ Inclusive to all genders and gender non-conforming individuals Scholarships are available to help make this experience accessible. Priority is given to formerly incarcerated facilitators-in-training, veterans, and those working with opportunity and justice-involved youth. Learn more: https://shorturl.at/Ms9hR

We EXCEEDED our goal! Thanks to this incredible community, Inside Circle raised $5,263 during Sacramento Region Community Foundation's Big Day of Giving 2026. Helping bring a real home to life for men returning from prison after years of circle work inside. Your generosity is already taking shape in tangible ways: ️ 📌 Bedding and linens so every resident has a comfortable first home ️ 📌 Kitchen supplies for shared meals that build connection and routine  📌 Furnishings and renovation materials that transform a house into a healing-centered space This is more than housing. It’s dignity, belonging, and a foundation for reentry and healing. THANK YOU for believing in this vision and helping make it real! #BDOG2026 #InsideCircle #ReentrySupport #CommunityHealing #RestorativeJustice

We’re growing our team at the new Sacramento Healing Home and looking for compassionate, dependable professionals.  NOW HIRING 📌 Healing Home House Managers (2 Positions) Live-on-site role supporting up to 11 returning citizens in a safe, structured, sober transitional residence. House Managers oversee daily operations, accountability, mentorship, and facilities upkeep while partnering closely with the Case Manager and Program Director.  $50,000 salary + housing included  📌 Healing Home Case Manager (Part-Time) Lead and support residents through their reentry journey by creating Individual Reentry Plans, coordinating referrals and services, and collaborating with on-site staff. Ideal for candidates with experience in social work, criminal justice, or reentry services.  $30/hour | Approx. 20 hours/week If you’re passionate about restorative support, accountability, and helping individuals rebuild their lives, we’d love to hear from you!  📍 Sacramento, CA Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g6f3qrQe

Inside Circle is proud to continue its partnership in Project Restore, a collaborative effort in Brooklyn focused on interrupting cycles of violence and creating pathways for accountability and healing. What began in Bed-Stuy is now expanding into Brownsville, extending this work to more communities impacted by gun violence. The outcomes from the initial cohort are meaningful. All 30 participants completed the program with no arrests for gun violence or retaliation. The surrounding community also experienced a 28% reduction in shooting victims and a 22% decrease in felony assaults. These results reflect what is possible when individuals are given the space and support to take accountability, heal, and make different choices. As this initiative grows, it reinforces a broader understanding that sustainable community safety is built through connection, accountability, and healing. InsideCircle.Org

🎙️ NEW EPISODE 🎙️ In this episode, Edwin Lee joins host Eldra Jackson III to share his raw journey from a lonely childhood in San Francisco's Chinatown to finding his humanity behind bars. Edwin discusses the "Tiger Parenting" that fueled his early resentment, his transition from gang life to becoming a certified counselor, and the "culture shock" of leaving prison for a world that moves faster than ever. It is a powerful conversation about the pressure to succeed, the complexities of modern reentry, and why healing is a lifelong process. 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://shorturl.at/VgwFF

Thank you for bringing this back to the forefront Ashanti Branch. When those of you watching, see this post...."what would you say to your 8 year old self?"

WHY YOUR DONATIONS MATTERS? Your gift will help us renovate and furnish our new Healing Home. We recently secured a multi-unit property that will become a dignified, healing-centered place for men returning from prison after years of circle work inside. The home will offer supported housing, structured accountability, and a consistent staff presence through the fragile early months of reentry. Today is Sacramento Region Community Foundation Big Day of Giving , our region's 24-hour giving day! SHARE & DONATE: https://lnkd.in/etVGCudE