Johnny Wood details the hurdles that formerly incarcerated individuals face during the reentry process including securing housing, finding a job, and struggling to find reliable transportation.
Read MoreMichael Castaldo
Michael Castaldo is a single father who experienced housing insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. He describes the multiple transitions his family has faced during this time of uncertainty.
Read MoreSteven Russell
Former music teacher and retired church musical director Steven Russell has learned a lot about how to advocate for himself over his lifetime. His involvement with the Male Survivors of Sexual Violence group at the Center for Empowerment has helped him cope with sexual assault that happened over thirty years ago.
Read MoreMaretta Short
Maretta Short discusses her experiences with NOW and the intersection of racism and gender discrimination. She has been involved in community organizing and has met key figures along the way.
Read MoreAllison Moss
Located in north-central New Jersey, Allison is a single mom of four who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, faced multiple insecurities including houselessness, while navigating her own health concerns and caring for her children.
Read MoreRosabel Pastrana
Rosabel Pastrana is the founder and coordinator of the folk dance group The Sagrada Familia. Through the dance group she is very active in her community. She also works as a health promoter, and received her certification as a General Practitioner in Mexico. She discusses how her life has been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, how it has changed her family’s livelihood, and how she has been involved with her community during this time.
Read MoreChristine Edwards
Christine Edwards is a social worker at Town Clock who is finishing up her Master’s degree. Her job has helped her own personal growth.
Read MoreYolanda Garcia
Yolanda Garcia is an experienced seamstress and has been in New Brunswick since 1996. Her and her husband own Minor Fine Jewelry and our committed to the community around French Street.
Read MoreEmma Sanchez
Emma Sanchez grew up in a small town in El Salvador and her life was directly impacted by war and conflict, including the murder of her father in 1989. She narrates several difficult periods of her life: the murder of her father when she was 8, the kidnapping and disappearance of her brother in 2010, the long-term illness of her mother, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected her entire family.
Read MoreBear Atwood
Bear Atwood was only seventeen when she joined NOW in 1977. She faced discrimination in her career as an attorney. Bear discusses the groundbreaking role of NOW and how it has changed over the years.
Read MoreSusan Waldman
Susan Waldman is an avid writer who has written letters to local newspapers. She is an activist who is involved in politics and organizing. She joined NOW several decades ago and has held several important titles in the organization.
Read MoreMatthew Novis
New Brunswick native Matthew Novis details his journey with substance abuse disorders and his relationship to being precariously housed as a formerly incarcerated individual. Matthew details his concerns for his town and for others facing houselessness.
Read MoreJosh Green
North Brunswick resident Josh Green describes both the challenges and the opportunities that have emerged for him throughout his reentry process during a worldwide pandemic. Josh remains hopeful for what the future holds for him and his community.
Read MoreSkip Drumm and Alan Gross
Alan Gross first moved to New Jersey for graduate school in the late 1960s and found the Princeton chapter of NOW. He considers himself a support person for what the organization does and has been active since the 1980s. Retired social worker Skip Drumm first heard of NOW at a friend’s house in 1974 and has been active ever since. They have both served in leadership roles and discuss how the organization has evolved.
Read MoreJudith Buckman
Judith Buckman joined NOW in the 1970s. She discusses how she had to navigate her politics around a variety of groups in which she was active. Judith has held every NOW leadership office, and has led multiple groups to a variety of conferences. She talks about how activism has changed since 2016.
Read MoreAnonymous
A Highland Park resident, who has been through the reentry process, describes how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their job security. They also detail the importance of spending time with their family.
Read MoreJoanie Parks
Joanie Parks worked in office support for forty-seven years. She joined NOW in 1975 and helped start a chapter of the organization in a very conservative town. Joanie discusses the important work that she was involved in and what NOW means to her.
Read MoreAnnissa Fernandez
Annissa Fernandez discusses the struggles of escaping an abusive relationship and how her and her child have adapted to their new life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreAruna Rao
Founder of Desi Rainbow Parents & Allies, Aruna Rao discusses growing up in India, and moving to the US in the late 1980s. She talks about raising her transgender child, and how she is now able to track the process of her child’s ability to express their identity. She emphasizes how difficult it was for her to notice some of these important expressions in real-time, as she was dealing with family traumas throughout her child’s adolescence. She is a proud LGBTQ+ rights activist, and serves on the national board of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).
Read MoreBarbara Saunders
After retiring from a career in education, Barbara Saunders has continued to be an active member of Mount Zion Church, both in choir positions and currently as its History Room Coordinator, an initiative that was first started by Alice Archibald.
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