BREAKING THE RECIDIVISM CYCLE
Imagine you are being released back to society after many years in prison. You have none of the basic essentials needed to survive. You have no place to go and no one to trust. This is the plight of countless individuals fighting to navigate their way to freedom.
Over 7.6 million people in America are currently incarcerated, on probation, or out on parole. And while 650,000 inmates are released every year, more than 56% of released individuals are re-arrested within a year. And within 5 years, 3 out of 4 released individuals are re-arrested. It is our mission to end the cycle of arrest, conviction, incarceration, release and rearrest.
FEATURED MEDIA
Hear from the people we've helped.
"As a formerly incarcerated person who has been afforded the proverbial "second chance" at life, I support this project and those men and women still incarcerated who have and continue to work diligently towards gaining their freedom”
Lee A. West
TEAM MEMBER HIGHLIGHT
Leon "Bip" Roberts
Senior Navigator
Leon Joseph "Bip" Roberts is former American Major League Baseball second baseman and outfielder. He played from 1986 to 1998 for the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and retired with the Oakland Athletics.
After his career ended on the field, another profession took off in the announcers booth. Always the consummate professional, Bip took his love for the game to the next level. His keen insight and expertise analysis of baseball came from being an insider, who understood the nuances of the game and made him a favorite amongst announcers.
Bip’s thriving spirit needed to be fed and nurtured on a deeper level, so he volunteered to be of service at his local place of worship, "The Well Church." He has worked in their Outreach Program for the past three (3) years, faithfully serving the community of Livermore. He humbly became an Evangelist Teacher, Usher, and Greeter.
The work with the church opened his heart and inspired a deep longing to go back to his native community of Oakland. There he continues his teachings, but his time is now spent specifically with the youth playing baseball. Every season brings unique life lessons to the young men involved with Bip playing baseball.
During his community outreach, Bip discovered The Uncuffed Project. His passion to give back to the marginalized and disenfranchised among those less fortunate was evident and he quickly became the Senior Navigator with the organization. His work is tireless and he is driven to make a difference within the inner city of Oakland. The Uncuffed Project is fortunate to have a man of Bip’s caliber champion their cause.
TEAM MEMBER HIGHLIGHT
Brandy Rametta
Wellness Navigator
Brandy Rametta uses yoga not just as a physical practice but also as a source of light to strengthen mental health and raise emotional intelligence. With a personal interest in helping others, she uses yoga as a form of therapy. Certified in both yoga and as a cognitive behavioral practitioner, Brandy uses her education along with her life experience to better serve others. A graduate of Cal State University Northridge and a certified 200-hour registered yoga teacher from the school of Soul Ascension Healing Arts, Brandy is continuing her yoga education and is currently working on her 500-Hour YTT Yoga Alliance certification with Science of Self; she also continues to educate herself in the mental health field and finds her advocacy by inviting speakers and wellness sponsors to her outdoor yoga studio in Whittier, CA, Heart & Soul Yoga, to share inspiration, motivation, community connection and healing. Brandy is committed to bringing awareness to communities, corporations and organizations. Rametta is grateful to have had the opportunity to teach yoga and speak on topics like generational wellness, healing, yoga & mental health to major groups such as ActiVision, The Lions Club, The Female Maker Market, The Chito Foundation, The City of Whittier School District, The Whole Child, National Charity League, Rise Up Act, Bridge Home Health & Hospice for Senior Citizens and is currently the Wellness Director for The Uncuffed Project. Her hope is to build a wellness program that will guide healing, mindfulness and peaceful living.
Brought to you by the award winning producers, Navigating Freedom Podcast (A.K.A The People's Podcast) features real people, incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, or who work to end the unjust carceral system. Through story telling and interviews we address topics that directly affect the freedoms, liberty, and quality of life of those marginalized having difficulties navigating what we perceive to be a free society.
This platform gives us a voice to reach out and reach back to prevent the prison industrial complex from stifling and reshaping our voices. Just because you have been freed, doesn’t mean that you are free.
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OUR PARTNERS
November 2022, The Uncuffed Project announced it’s working with Google to provide digital skills programs to advance economic opportunity for people impacted by incarceration. In June, Google shared its investing $4 million toward a new fund that aims to expand its justice reform work. Over 500 nonprofit organizations across the country applied to receive support from the fund, and The Uncuffed Project is one of the recipients selected by Google based on its history of helping people who have been impacted by incarceration receive training, career resources, and job placement support.