As a Black mother, every Black child feels like my own. I’ve fought relentlessly to keep the youth in my family out of the criminal justice system. But for many of their friends, I couldn’t win the battle. It’s a question that haunts so many of us: Can we rewrite the story for today’s youth and the generations to come?

The answer is YES. Change is not only possible—it’s happening.

In this episode, meet Elizabeth Frederick, the powerhouse Executive Director of Avenues for Justice (AFJ). AFJ is flipping the script on the justice system, one life at a time. As pioneers in Alternative-to-Incarceration programs for youth, they’re breaking the cycle of incarceration and replacing it with hope, opportunity, and purpose.

Each year, AFJ changes the trajectory of over 500 NYC youth, ages 13-24, through no-cost court advocacy and their tra ...