"Judging from this high rate of recidivism, our current prison system doesn’t actually help people correct their lives. Rather, it perpetuates itself by keeping people in the system. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results; yet, the current prison system does just that.
However, it doesn’t have to be this way. I know, because I was once incarcerated myself. Back then, I — like many formerly incarcerated individuals — was viewed as stupid and lazy. Today, I’m one of the largest Black business owners in New York, and people often admire my work ethic and tell me I’m a genius.
Just imagine how many of those two million incarcerated people could have the same potential as me. Picture how much good could be unleashed for society if, instead of committing more crimes and returning to jail, they went on to do amazing things that furthered America."
Trent Griffin-Braaf is the CEO & Founder of Tech Valley Shuttle and GB Logistics. He is the largest BIPOC employer in New York State and The Capital Region, and Tech Valley Shuttle is the first Black-owned business to be named one of the best places to work by the Albany Business Review. In 2023 the US Small Business Administration named him as the Upstate New York Small Business Person of the Year. His mission is to combat poverty through transportation solutions and employee empowerment. As a former incarcerated person, he is leading the way for other employers to learn how to become an employer of choice for returning citizens, single parents, and veterans.
Click HERE for full Knoxville Sun article featuring Trent Griffin-Braaf
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