ABSTRACT
Research suggests that community immersion and engagement are essential precursors to the successful reintegration of former offenders. Along those lines, many former offenders have found hope and direction through higher education. The inclusion of former offenders in the world of higher education facilitates their successful reentry by bolstering self-esteem, corroborating reformation, and giving a space to those who were once considered outcasts. This chapter chronicles the lives of four students at California State University, Long Beach, who founded a student organization – Rising Scholars – dedicated to bringing together students who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. Their voices contextualize the struggles of formerly incarcerated students, while also offering hope to those who will undoubtedly come after them.
