Reentry stories of opportunity, perseverance and healing
Unscripted #011
Javier Aguirre, Gregory Nottage and Victor Gutierrez, February 2025
Javier Aguirre, Director of the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, Gregory Nottage, Chief Innovation Officer of Downtown Streets Team and Victor Gutierrez, a program manager for Downtown Streets Team discuss the transformative power of employment and leadership opportunities for individuals impacted by homelessness, systematic trauma and incarceration.
Unscripted #010
Javier Aguirre and Cindy Chavez, November 2024
Javier Aguirre, Director of the County of Santa Clara Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, talks with County Board Supervisor Cindy Chavez, a long time reentry champion. They discuss the roots and evolution of reentry services in the county, the early pioneers of it, and the challenges and fruits of collaborations between county offices and agencies. Supervisor Chavez reflects on the successes and her hopes for reentry efforts moving forward.
Unscripted #009
Lissa Thiele and Santos Loyola, September 2024
Lissa Thiele, Justice Family Education Coordinator for the Santa Clara County Office of Education, talks with Santos Loyola, a graduate of that program, about the power of education and the opportunities it opens for students both in custody and post release. Santos graduated from San Jose City College and now attends UC Berkeley.
Unscripted #008
Victor Macias and David Marez, June 2024
David Marez, Lead Reentry Specialist for Breakout Prison Outreach’s Good Samaritan Project/Never Give Up Program, talks with Victor Macias, a Community Worker with the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, about David’s role raising his grandson from the age of three while his stepson has been incarcerated for the past 13 years.
Unscripted #007
Rebecca Cardenaz and Margarita Ortiz, May 2024
Margarita Ortiz, Reentry Specialist for Never Give Up Service Linkage, Breakout Prison Outreach, who works out of the South County Reentry Resource Center, and Rebecca Cardenaz, a program manager with the County of Santa Clara Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, talk about the important role mothers, like Margarita, with an incarcerated son or daughter, play in their families' lives.
Unscripted #006
Javier Aguirre and Pastor Tony Williams, April 2024
Javier Aguirre, Director of the County of Santa Clara Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, talks with Pastor Anthony (Tony) Williams, Founding Pastor Emeritus of Maranatha Christian Center, and Founder of Mission Possible Reentry Resource Center, about the County’s 13-year partnership with local faith-based organizations.
Unscripted #005
Ivan Santos and Edith Martinez, June 2023
Edith Martinez, a Mental Health Peer Support Worker for the County's Behavioral Health Department talks with Ivan Santos, now a County employee. Ivan now mentors others stressing the importance of asking for help, accepting opportunities and checking in with yourself.
Unscripted #004
Kiely Sheppard and Adrian Jaime, March 2023
Kiely Sheppard, Deputy Probation Officer III with the County of Santa Clara Probation Department, talks with her former probation client, Adrian Jaime, who is now a full-time carpenter, a part-time shelter residential coordinator, and the owner and operator of The Dream House, a sober living home.
Unscripted #003
Leah Dansby and Cynthia Granados, August 2022
Leah Dansby, a Program Manager with the County of Santa Clara Probation Department, and Cynthia Granados, a former reentry client who now works for supportive housing provider Abode Services, discuss the importance of case managers, like Rose Luerra, who have relatable experiences enabling them to help clients reach outside their comfort zones to manifest change and believe in themselves.
Unscripted #002
Janice Gillies and Crystal Perez, April 2022
Janice Gillies, a Rehabilitation Officer with the County of Santa Clara Office of the Sheriff and Crystal Perez, a Case Manager for Goodwill of Silicon Valley's New Opportunity Work Program talk about Crystal's reentry journey, the Custodial Alternative Supervision Program the impact of peer mentors and the Peer Mentor Certificate Program.
Unscripted #001
Juan Vela and Say Miranda, March 2022
Juan Vela, a Program Manager for the County of Santa Clara Office of Reentry Services, and Say Miranda, Shelter Manager for Home First BRC (Boccardo Reception Center) talk about meeting in Jail and Say's journey through Reentry and her current career helping people reestablish themselves in our community.