Power Station

As Monte Pollard approached the end of a six year sentence in federal prison, he was so overwhelmed by the prospect of reentry, he considered committing a violation that would keep him locked up. His lack of confidence made sense. Over 6 years in multiple facilities, he did not have access to a single training or educational opportunity. When he lost his mother to domestic violence, counseling was not available. It was a visit from Charles B. Thornton, then head of the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizens Affairs, that gave him hope and the beginnings of a plan. He earned an internship at MORCA, went on to become a staffer and served in other public agencies. Now the executive director of Changing Perceptions, he is leading a transformation of the reentry process for returning citizens in Washington DC. In this episode of Power Station, Monte shares how his nonprofit, Changing Perceptions, is remaking government systems, from social services to criminal justice while strengthening the resilience of those he s