At the beginning of a three-day retreat inside the facility, Deborah shared her skepticism. “What is this Nonviolent Communication stuff? Does it work in real life?” she exclaimed. I don’t remember how we responded, but I know Deborah stayed for the whole retreat and something shifted for her. In the months that followed, she kept showing up to our classes. A year after her release from prison she called our office, wanting to re-connect.
Since that time, staying connected has been Deborah’s mantra. She participated in our two-year Yes to Life program, was a speaker at our events, and a learner and sharer of the skills we teach in dozens of classes and workshops. Deborah has drawn on these life-changing communication skills in rebuilding her career, mending relationships with family members, and forging a relationship, and now a marriage with Razzaq Diggs. Pictured above is Razzaq (right), Deborah (center) and me (left).
This is the blessing of our work--the transformative education that we offer helps people heal and makes new beginnings possible. The journey, however, doesn’t stop with healing. The skills we teach at Heart to Heart and the continuous support we provide helps learners to move from healing, to thriving, and then, to becoming the leaders they are called to be. This is Deborah’s journey. The gift of this work is that it not only transforms lives, but it shifts the trajectory of families and makes authentic community possible.
The changes ripple out into US society, largely caught up in a culture of punishment. In such a culture our thinking separates the world into us and them and finds reasons to punish “them.” Given this propensity to blame and punish, Deborah, like so many of our returning citizens, was reluctant to talk about being incarcerated.
I am a witness to Deborah's continued transformation. As she embraces the call to be a leader in the movement to end mass incarceration, Deborah is finding her voice and telling her story. Heart to Heart contributes to this movement to end mass incarceration with a relational approach. We form supportive learning communities, develop skills, and accompany learners on a journey that moves from healing to thriving to leading. I am so happy that we are on this journey together.
Deborah is now my colleague. She has joined our leadership team as Operations Manager. She is a gifted, experienced manager and team leader. She has a passion for our work and is a living witness to it. Please join me in welcoming her and celebrating her presence among us.
