Miles of Freedom

When you can see the need more clearly, you can respond more effectively. 💡

Through United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Data Capacity Building Initiative, MILES of Freedom strengthened how we measure impact across our support services.

As part of the initiative and first cohort, we used neighborhood-level data to better understand the needs of the communities we serve. That data helps us tell a clearer story about our work and where support is needed most.

Thank you to UWMD for supporting data-driven community impact. View the impact report here: https://bit.ly/4tScUkN

Take a look inside The Legacy Experience exhibit at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

We were honored to be present just before the grand opening on May 16th to experience the newly expanded space and see MILES of Freedom’s work represented within the Pillars of Justice gallery on nonviolence.

These photos offer a glimpse into the exhibit, the MILES of Freedom feature, and the surrounding storytelling that connects reentry to a broader conversation about dignity, justice, and incarceration.

Seeing our work reflected in a space dedicated to the issues at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement is proof we all have a role to play in creating change.

We're hiring a Lawn Service Supervisor.

This full-time role supports our Lawn Service Social Enterprise, a mission-driven program that provides workforce development, paid training, structure, accountability, and immediate income to individuals working toward long-term stability and self-sufficiency.

The Lawn Service Supervisor will be responsible for supervising lawn crews, ensuring equipment accountability and maintenance, monitoring contract quality, training participants, and maintaining safe and professional job site operations.

Apply today by sending a resume and brief cover letter to Tahvia Merrill at [email protected], or share this opportunity with someone in your network.

Bridging the gap from prison to promise.

This month, we launched our new Pre-Release Program inside the TDCJ - Sanders Estes Unit in Venus, Texas with an inaugural cohort of 30 men preparing to return home within the next six months.

We are grateful to see this program come to life after thoughtful planning and partnership. It is designed to begin reentry support before release to give participants the tools, guidance, and foundation they need for the realities they may face when they return home.

Through workforce readiness, case planning, and reentry preparation, participants have more time to identify barriers, ask questions, build trust, and create a plan for life after incarceration.

This is an integral part of MILES of Freedom’s model of change in action.

MILES of Freedom is being featured at the National Civil Rights Museum’s new Legacy Experience in Memphis, within the Pillars of Justice exhibit on nonviolence.

The Pillars of Justice represent the critical issues that continue to define the pursuit of equality today, connecting the legacy of past movements to the realities communities face now. The nonviolence pillar examines how nonviolence extends beyond protest into everyday life, influencing systems like voting, policing, and incarceration.

MILES of Freedom’s feature connects reentry and workforce development to that broader conversation. Through case management, job readiness, transitional employment, social enterprise, and public safety impact, this work helps address the lasting consequences of incarceration while creating pathways to stability and opportunity.

The Legacy Experience reopens May 16. Learn more: https://bit.ly/43884EM

We are proud to welcome Dr. K.C. Fox as the newest member of the MILES of Freedom Board of Directors.

Dr. Fox has spent her career shaping narratives for women in leadership, reshaping how young people learn history, culture, and financial literacy, and advocating for communities that have long been underserved. As former Vice President of the NAACP, she oversaw civil rights, legal redress, communications, and health efforts at a national level. She's also held leadership roles with the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the National Council of Negro Women, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

Her recognition includes the 2022 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the 46th President of the United States, the 2023 recipient of the Black Media Honors Political Icon Award, and features in Essence, Black Enterprise, and Sheen Magazine. The Dallas Business Journal named her a Minority Business Leader.

Dr. Fox’s commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and advocating for meaningful change aligns closely with our mission. We’re honored to have her expertise and perspective helping shape our next chapter.

When people have the right support after incarceration, the impact reaches beyond one person. Families become more stable, communities become safer, and more people have the opportunity to move forward.

That belief drives the work of MILES of Freedom every day. Your gift helps make this work possible.

Make a one-time donation or recurring contribution today: https://bit.ly/4dFe5j2

Our team gathered in Dallas for a special screening and talkback of "Newborn", a new feature film written and directed by Nate Parker and starring David Oyelowo.

The film follows Chris Newborn as he returns home after seven years in solitary confinement and faces the mental, emotional, and practical realities of reentry.

Following the screening, Richard Miles participated in a conversation with U.S. Death Row Exoneree #138, Anthony Graves, and City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture Commissioner, Amber Pickensm on reentry, healing, and the support systems people need to rebuild.

The evening created space for honest dialogue, and we were honored to be a part of it.

In photo from left to right: Amber Pickens, Anthony Graves (exoneree), Richard Miles (exoneree), Ben Spencer (exoneree), Curtis Wilbert, Winsor Barbee.

He lost 15 years to a system that got it wrong. Now, he’s helping others find their way forward.

Richard Miles sat down with Tim G. Williams, host of the Bonafide Leaders Podcast, to share the story behind MILES of Freedom.

The conversation centers on hope, community, and the support systems people need to move forward. Because sometimes small acts of empathy can transform lives.

🎙️ Watch or listen here: https://bit.ly/4vM7pWC