(C) Verite News New Orleans This story was originally published by Verite News New Orleans and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Formerly incarcerated people to host reunion Saturday at Audubon Park [1] ['Arielle Robinson', 'More Arielle Robinson', 'Verite News', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width'] Date: 2024-06-14 Youthful Offenders to Reformed and Responsible Adults (YORRA) is set to host a reunion Saturday afternoon at Audubon Park. The criminal justice reform nonprofit, made up of formerly incarcerated people and their families, will gather at the park (near Magazine Street) to brainstorm ways to resist what they view as harmful legislation and to familiarize the loved ones of formerly incarcerated people with each other. Reginald Johnson, the founder and executive director of YORRA, has independently hosted annual reunions of formerly incarcerated people and their families in New Orleans since 2016. Last year, he incorporated the group as a nonprofit under its current name. He said he started the group to help people see prisoners in a more positive light and bring formerly incarcerated people together more often than they currently meet up. “I decided that if we could come together at funerals, we need to come together in good times and bring our families and friends together,” Johnson said. Members of the group and people from other local groups that advocate for people impacted by the criminal justice system, such as NOLA to Angola, Voice of the Experienced and Bar None by DeSign, will speak at the event. Johnson said those who go to the event will also take time to brainstorm ways to combat legislation that negatively affects incarcerated people. He cited Gov. Jeff Landry’s signing of a bill in March that eliminates parole for adults convicted of a crime after Aug. 1 as one example. “A lot of great minds come out of prison,” Johnson said. “And we know that together, we can change a lot of the laws and a lot of things that’s going on in our city that personally affects many of us.” Johnson was incarcerated at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola starting at age 15 and didn’t get out until he was 43. He founded the new nonprofit to help prevent children from being incarcerated. The group is trying to establish literacy programs for children, as well as reentry and job placement programs that cater specifically to people who enter prison as children and are released as adults. “It’s a different [kind of] reentry because you left as a child and you come home as an adult,” Johnson said. “The thing is…that when you get incarcerated time stops on you…so when you get incarcerated as a child, you’re still in that cycle. When you return back to society as a grown person you’re now faced with the realities of responsibility.” Johnson said that even though it’s been 13 years since he left prison, he is still adjusting to the responsibilities of adulthood. One of the speakers at Saturday’s event will be Paul Mayho, who was also formerly incarcerated at Angola. He will be promoting NOLA to Angola, an annual fundraiser where cyclists bike from New Orleans to the Angola prison to raise money for causes related to mass incarceration. Mayho said he was in prison when he saw a group of bikers riding around the prison and became inspired. “I’m an outdoor person,” Mayho said. “I’m an active person, I like doing things that’s adventurous. In my mind, I say to myself, ‘One day I’m going to do that.’” Mayho got in touch with NOLA to Angola organizers once out of prison in 2022 and ended up completing most of the ride last year. The sheriff’s department stopped the bikers about 15 to 20 miles before actually reaching the prison, partly due to the foggy weather. Mayho said NOLA to Angola has inspired him to deepen his commitment to people who are or have been incarcerated. “I have bought into, wholeheartedly, the concept of standing in solidarity because that’s what NOLA to Angola is,” Mayho said. “They’re standing in solidarity with the families and friends and loved ones of the incarcerated people, and the pain and suffering, whether it’s financial, emotional, physical or mental that they’re going through.” Mayho hopes to gather more formerly incarcerated people for the ride. Johnson also said Saturday’s event is to help counteract negative associations people make with formerly incarcerated people. “We want society to see us in a whole different light,” Johnson said. “[One] where we are coming together, having fun, brainstorming, enjoying each other’s company, but most importantly…dealing with our family and friends.” Related Republish This Story Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. [END] --- [1] Url: https://veritenews.org/2024/06/14/yorra-formerly-incarcerated-louisiana-angola/ Published and (C) by Verite News New Orleans Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 US. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/veritenews/