From Prison to Elected Office with Washington State Lawmaker Tarra Simmons

Tarra Simmons is not your average lawmaker. She’s Washington state’s first formerly incarcerated legislator. Her path to the State House – including a traumatic childhood and struggles with substance abuse as an adult – guides her work today. Tarra fights to reduce incarceration and widen access to behavioral and mental health resources. 

Chris and our producer Moyo Adeolu speak with Tarra about breaking the “concrete ceiling” for the formerly incarcerated.

Preview for next week: Coss and Chris sit down with journalist Jesse Vasquez, who found his passion for the written word while spending nearly 20 years behind bars.