When I was asked to author this year’s annual appeal to our wonderful supporters, I was ecstatic. Writing this letter allows me to share my heart with you, and to convey what your generosity has done for me and so many others throughout the years. It also gives me a chance to share some exciting news: a generous donor in our community has pledged $150,000 in matching funds toward our appeal, meaning your 2024 donation will be matched dollar for dollar! Whether you’ve given in past years, or are a new supporter, your backing will go a long way in helping us make a difference all over the state.
“I write this letter as the Program Director for the very organization that saved my life.”
My journey with Hudson Link began almost 20 years ago when I landed in Sing Sing Correctional Facility and stepped into my first college classroom. Before arriving at Sing Sing, I spent over a decade wasting away in different prisons because there were no real positive programs. But in that school building in 2005, it was there my critical eye came alive. The transformative power of higher education revived my life until all I wanted to do was grow in my educational journey and share my knowledge with everyone I encountered.
This year I am proud to say that I obtained my MBA from Mercy University, the same college where I started my academic journey. Instead of participating in the ceremony on Mercy’s Dobbs Ferry campus, I chose to walk with our class of incarcerated graduates at Sing Sing to honor our achievements together. I believe that when you educate one person you open the door for countless others. It creates the ripple effect we often talk about at Hudson Link, transcending the prison walls and touching the lives of families and communities alike.
“When you educate one person you open the door for countless others.”
As one of the first formerly incarcerated Program Directors in our field, I have the pleasure of serving over 650 students in six facilities throughout the New York state. This is a profound privilege that I could not have seen years ago, and impressive considering Hudson Link only served 50 students when I began my journey in 2005! Having been a student in prison for some time and working to serve incarcerated students for even longer, I wanted to amplify the voices of currently and formerly incarcerated people in prison education. This vision blossomed into an international platform created by and for directly impacted changemakers to share our expertise, critiques, and ideas about the field. Held entirely online until now, the annual Rise Up Conference features two days of incredible presentations and panels and has gained so much momentum that our fifth year is likely to grow into a hybrid or even fully in-person event.
I highlight these accomplishments not to boast, but to demonstrate what is to come for the students your donations will support. I am a reflection of each and every one of the students and alumni awaiting their golden moment. This growth and transition are not possible without you!
“I am a reflection of each and every one of the students and alumni awaiting their golden moment.”
My role grants me the vantage point to see the changing tides in the national prison education landscape. I have been asked by many of our supporters what Hudson Link’s role will be now that public funding is again becoming available to incarcerated students, and hundreds of colleges and universities across the country are gearing up to start new programs. The short answer is that the return of public funding means Hudson Link will be more needed than ever.
Newcomers to our field will not have had our 26 years of experience with the intricacies and nuances of running these programs. What we know from the first two rounds of Second Chance Pell is that the amount of the Pell Award does not cover the full cost of administering an in-prison college program, particularly the on-the-ground coordination that Hudson Link provides to our partners. We know how difficult FAFSA administration is inside these facilities, and the challenges that financial aid offices, many understaffed and overworked as it is, will face in completing this paperwork. We know that our 26-year-old alumni network of nearly 2,000 released students is a powerful grassroots community that serves itself and pays dividends on the investments made while people are inside. Any new college or university looking to get into this work would do well to partner with a third-party facilitator like Hudson Link.
This year we are working to raise our most ambitious budget in Hudson Link’s history, and your support is truly needed now more than ever. One member of our Board of Directors believes so strongly in our mission that she has pledged $150,000 in matching funds for all donations made to our year-end campaign. Your donation will be used to ensure that higher education continues to transform the lives of people inside New York State correctional facilities, that we can continue to serve as a resource and support when our students are released, and that Hudson Link remains at the forefront of advocacy for all justice-impacted people. Whatever you can give, no matter the amount, will be appreciated – and it will be matched.
Wishing you a Happy Autumn and Holiday season,
Joel Jimenez, MBA
Program Director and Class of ’10 and ’24
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