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SiriusXM Launches 'Last Mile, Second Chances,' Groundbreaking New Show on Prison Reform and

SiriusXM today announced the launch of "Last Mile, Second Chances," an exclusive new show about formerly incarcerated women moving back into society and how communities can help in the transition. The show airs on SiriusXM's Urban View channel 126 at 9:00 am ET.

Hosted by justice reform advocate Topeka K. Sam, the compelling weekly show focuses on women personally affected by the penitentiary system sharing their experiences, traumas, and stories and tackles the topics of disenfranchisement, paying restitution, and the larger issue of incarceration and its ripple effects on women's lives and that of their families.

"I am thrilled to host 'Last Mile, Second Chances' and help women turn the page on their past and start fresh," said Topeka K. Sam. "It's important for women moving back into society to have a place where they can learn the new ways of navigating the world – from how to apply for a job, get housing, or even going back to school - and SiriusXM's 'Last Mile, Second Chances' will offer just that."

"'Last Mile, Second Chances' fits in perfectly with Urban View's mission of empowering our listeners to participate and foster change in their communities," said Karen Hunter, Urban View host and Programming Consultant, SiriusXM. "At some point formerly incarcerated women return to society, which brings up the question, 'What will they do now?' We know the transition is difficult but SiriusXM's 'Last Mile, Second Chances' can help."

Upcoming guests on "Last Mile, Second Chances" include advocates Susan Rosenberg and Laura Whitehorn; New York University doctoral student Michelle Jones; author and activist Sibil Fox Richardson; Director of U.S. Prison Programs for the National Religious Campaign Against Torture Johnny Perez; Soros Justice Fellow James Kilgore; and The Federal Defenders of New York's Director of Mitigation and Client Services Vivianne Guevara.

Having served three years in a federal prison, host Topeka K. Sam witnessed firsthand the epidemic and disparity of incarceration on women. The shock of learning some of the most gruesome details leading these women to jail – and their loud cries at night as they missed their children – prompted her to become their voice once she was free.

Topeka K. Sam is the Founder and Executive Director of The Ladies of Hope Ministries whose mission it is to help disenfranchised and marginalized women and girls transition back into society through spiritual empowerment, education, entrepreneurship and advocacy. She is also the founder of Hope House NYC, a safe housing space for women and girls. Topeka serves on the board of directors for Grassroots Leadership. She is a Beyond the Bars 2015 Fellow and a 2016 Justice-In-Education Scholar both from Columbia University, a 2017 Soros Justice Advocacy Fellow working on Probation and Parole Accountability, a 2018 Unlocked Futures Inaugural Cohort Member and a founding member of The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls. Topeka attended Morgan State University; she lives in the Bronx, New York.

SiriusXM subscribers can hear Urban View programming via SiriusXM On Demand, through the SiriusXM app on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online at www.siriusxm.com/player.

SiriusXM's 200+ channels – including SiriusXM's Urban View channel – are also available for streaming to SiriusXM subscribers nationwide with Amazon Alexa. Go to www.SiriusXM.com/AmazonAlexa to learn more.

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Restoring Hope To Justice-Involved Women

Women offenders have special needs that often are not addressed during incarceration. As a result, transitioning from incarceration can be challenging and even impossible for many.

 

In 2021, there were roughly 228 women who returned to the Triangle area from state prison and in 2022, that number increased slightly to 232 (NC DPS - Office of Research & Planning, 2023). Also in 2022, there were more than 800 women serving their sentences on community probation throughout the Triangle area. Of both parolees and probationers, more than 80% were mothers of minor children and had the primary responsibility for their care prior to and following incarceration. Ex-incarcerated women are more likely than their male peers to experience higher levels of poverty, homelessness and abuse following a jail or prison term--making the post-prison transition much more difficult.

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Research suggests that focusing on the differences between female and male conduits to criminality as well as applying gender-specific interventions, results in more positive outcomes. In the end, the application of specialized practices in criminal justice reform equals greater success for women ex-offenders when attempting to re-establish new pathways to society. It is also proven that the implementation of community-based, gender-responsive practices contributes to lower rates of female recidivism which in turn benefits justice-involved women, their families, the community and society as a whole.

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