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My CGA Journey – By West

By [email protected] | July 5, 2023

My journey at Common Good Atlanta (CGA) kicked off with my desire as a 3rd year Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) student in the Fall of 2021. It all started when I enrolled in the Social Welfare institution and had the privilege of being taught by Dr. Elizabeth Beck, a highly inspirational professor. And my…

Reason to Celebrate by Michael Clark

By [email protected] | December 21, 2022

The end of the year. We are finally here! The time when all the holidays fall in sequence as family gatherings, parties, soirees, and more seem to be never-ending. We cheer with people we haven’t seen the year before and keep our spirits merry and warm. Let’s not forget any family tradition we uphold from…

A letter to a friend coming home by Michael Clark

By [email protected] | September 16, 2022

I recently wrote a letter to a friend’s daughter who was incarcerated. When I wrote her, she had just got her time and was still in the throws of understanding what her future looked like. I felt it was necessary to write her to discuss some things I knew she was soon to encounter, something…

First Date by Michael Clark

By [email protected] | June 20, 2022

I gained a humble dose of wisdom after one of the first dates I went on when I got home. I had been on a few prior to this, but this woman, who I will call Cara (not her real name), was different. We had met during a New Year’s Eve party and had hit…

“Now You Know” – Burrus Graduation Speech

By [email protected] | April 14, 2022

   

Letters: Stay in touch with family and friends by Michael Clark

By [email protected] | April 12, 2022

During the first summer at my first prison camp, I was on lockdown. There are a lot of things to explain about this situation, so bear with me for a moment. My first prison camp was in Waycross, Georgia, and it was a close security camp which also had the distinction of being a medical/low-level…

Pain in our Stories by Michael Clark

By [email protected] | February 9, 2022

I was reminded of a bit of wisdom I gained in prison recently. I had a friend going through rough times, and he started venting some of his frustrations and concerns to me. After a minute, he stopped and laughed, then said, “You know, Mike, I almost forgot you were in prison. Here I am…

An Interview with David Evans, CGA Alumnus

By [email protected] | December 16, 2021

  How did you get involved with CGA? I was working at the prison’s “print shop.” This was my work detail. One of my co-workers, Kane Miller, would take Wednesdays off every week and go to some “literature class.” I thought that was interesting, but I knew they wouldn’t let both of us stay out…

Different Reentry Approaches: Part 1 by Michael Clark

By [email protected] | December 14, 2021

The numbers are clear. Incarceration rates are high (810 per 100,000 as of 2019) and have grown for decades. The number of prisons in each state is growing (1,833 state prisons, 110 federal prisons in 2020 versus 1,584 state prisons, and 84 federal prisons in 2000). The amount of money spent has significantly increased in…

Meet the CGA Interns

By [email protected] | October 13, 2021

Name: Lola Cleavaland (She/Her) School: Emory University Major: Political Science and Economics “I had the pleasure of interning for Common Good Atlanta for almost two years while studying at Emory University. I worked with CGA in multiple capacities as a peer tutor in the classroom and an assistant site director researching pedagogy in prison classrooms.…