Christina Pascucci Instagram – When I was on Skid Row last week, I witnessed the power of second chances through Markelle. While serving a life sentence at San Quentin, he turned his life around through rehabilitation programs offered in prison.
While Markelle signifies hope,
Skid Row magnifies all the failed policies in our state.
We can do better:
Let’s prioritize mental health as a pillar of healthcare.
Let’s push for mandatory care for our most mentally ill.
Let’s realign our priorities— instead of lowering standards to graduate, let’s improve foundational issues like early literacy and education.
Let’s support families, especially when it comes to childcare and family leave.
Let’s spearhead research in alternative mental health therapies ie psychedelic therapy research, rather than focusing solely on pharmaceuticals.
And, let’s throw support behind transitional age foster youth as a key pillar to fighting homelessness, since half the homeless population has been touched by the foster care system.
Thank you to @gordonphilanthropies @skidrowrunningclub and Judge Mitchell for the work you do to transform lives like Markelle’s. 👏🏽
Appreciate you including me in this inspiring morning. | Posted on 17/Jan/2024 05:52:50
