Raven McDowell's six year old son has finally returned home.
Hello, I'm Bonnie Boswell.
Now, if you've been watching this series, you'll know that Raven McDowell was impacted by the justice system.
So to regain custody of her son, Raven transformed her life.
After her release, and with support, she found an apartment and a job.
She now helps others overcome problems similar to the ones she had.
I love what I do.
I'm here to do everything I could do because somebody did that for me.
Raven's mentor is Sam Lewis, Executive Director of ARC, the Anti Recidivism Coalition.
Formerly incarcerated, ended up with a life sentence.
I could barely read and write when I got into prison.
Just seven years into my sentence, my daughter, She had one request.
Please don't get in trouble anymore so I can hug you And it just shook me to my core and made me want to change.
I didn't know how I was going to change.
I don't know what to say.
After 24 years of incarceration, nine trips to the board of parole hearings, I was finally found suitable for parole in 2012.
I came home with a bachelor's degree and a desire to figure out how to help change the system to a system that can help and heal, as opposed to punish and traumatized.
Then I met Scott Budnick.
Scott is the founder of ARC.
People are beginning to see that given resources and support formerly incarcerated people can do some amazing things.
Use me as an example.
For 24 years, I cost the State of California between 64 to 82 thousand a year For the past ten years, I've been paying into the tax base I was invested in and given an opportunity.
I want to just see Raven, like, continue on our pathway to helping people.
Don't give up.
Keep moving forward.
Things are going to be hard, but you have to keep pushing forward.
Raven and Sam demonstrate that former justice impacted people with the right support can change their lives.
And others For KCET, I'm Bonnie Boswell.