North Carolina man turns place of confinement into a place of opportunity

GOLDSBORO, NC (WWAY)–Wednesday marks “Second Chance Day”, a time to help and recognize a shot of redemption to those who were previously incarcerated. One North Carolina man has turned a former prison into a place of opportunity.

Inside the former Wayne Correctional Center, signs of neglect remain visible: worn basketball hoops, barbed-wire fencing and a cafeteria with missing ceiling tiles. While some might overlook the deteriorating conditions, Kerwin Pittman sees opportunity.

“I am the first formerly incarcerated person in United States history to purchase a prison and now I will transform this into a workforce development campus the likes of which the world has never seen before,” Pittman said.

He is the founder of Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services, a North Carolina-based nonprofit focused on lowering recidivism rates. Through fundraisers, donations and grants, Pittman acquired the former prison with plans to provide housing, employment opportunities and access to medical care for individuals leaving incarceration.

“This is a campus that will help up to 500 people on a residential side a year alone,” he said. “When individuals come here, it is a workforce development center.”

Pittman’s path to this project began with his own experience in the criminal justice system. At age 18, he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to 11½ years in prison. During that time, he said, he began to rethink his future.

“I treated my incarceration like college,” Pittman said. “I began to read extensively, to study and to come up with a plan. I started to see systemic issues and how many of the pitfalls I experienced could have been avoided, and how there wasn’t different systems and programs in place in order for me to avoid those pitfalls, and so this is why I birthed my nonprofit once I came home.”

After his release, Pittman founded his nonprofit to address gaps in resources available to formerly incarcerated individuals. He later worked alongside former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on the Task Force for Racial Equity and Criminal Justice, which examined disparities in the system.

Now, with the purchase of the prison, Pittman said he hopes to expand those efforts. Within two years, he aims to provide newly released individuals with essential documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards and identification — resources he said he struggled to obtain after his own release.

“When you come to the Recidivism Reduction Campus, you will automatically have access to employment if you so choose,” Pittman said. “You will have access to mental health services, substance use services, educational opportunities and training.”

Khalilah Olokunola, a Wilmington resident who works with organizations nationwide to expand job opportunities for people with criminal records, toured the facility this week and said the project could become a central hub for reentry services.

“It’s also an opportunity to bring all the services that you need to re-enter from re-entry recruitment to retention when it comes obtaining that quality job” Olokunola said.

In Wilmington, a local organization called “LINC”, or “Leading into New Communities”, also have a similar mission and this month they have several events to help those who were in prison to get them back into society.

Monday, April 13 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Empowerment Day & Community Exhibitors
Plaza on Princess, Harrelson Center
20 N 4th Street, Wilmington, NC

Program facilitated by:

• Sherwood Jackson, Mentor/Community Success Initiative & Reentry Coordinator

Attendees will have access to valuable resources and information from local organizations and service providers, including:

• Seeds of Healing

• Harm Reduction services

• Voting education: Know Your Rights

• BlueCross BlueShield

• NCWorks

• North Carolina Department of Transportation

Wednesday, April 15 and Thursday April 16 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

 LINC TALKS: Stories of Inspiration and Resilience from Justice-Involved Individuals

 LINC Local Reentry Council
Harrelson Center, Suite 430

 Wednesday speakers:

• Tiffany Walker (NHC/LINC STAR Center)

• Othello York (LINC MER Campus)

Thursday speakers:

• Katrina Brooks (LINC LRC)

• Joseph “Treetop” Jones (United Way and LINC LRC)