The Power of Alternatives

In this episode, co-hosts Kalista Lin and Sofia Ng speak with Liz Frederick, a leader in justice reform with over 20 years of experience, about how community-based programs are offering young people a second chance. As a key leader at New York City program Avenues for Justice, Liz has helped expand community-based alternatives to incarceration that now serve more than 600 youth each year, with an extraordinary 94% of participants avoiding reconviction. Liz shares firsthand insight into how these programs interrupt cycles of incarceration by centering accountability, support, and opportunity—rather than punishment alone.