The What’s Your Anchor Initiative Launches in Prince George's County Correctional Center
- Devin Smith
- Jul 28
- 3 min read
Back in February, we put out a call for Shipmates — people like you who believed in our vision to launch the What’s Your Anchor Initiative, a program designed to equip currently and formerly incarcerated individuals with the practical tools to lead transformative change in their own lives and communities.
Today, I’m proud to share that we’re officially launching What’s Your Anchor inside a local jail on Wednesday, July 30.
This milestone is a win not just for us, but for everyone who stood beside this vision — and most importantly, for those who will benefit from the work ahead. Whether you offered a kind word, made a connection, donated resources, or simply believed in our mission, please know this: your support made this possible.
About the Program
The What’s Your Anchor Initiative will run for six weeks, with sessions every Wednesday (in collaboration with our longtime partner, Voices Unbarred) and Friday, held inside the jail. The program focuses on building social-emotional and job-readiness skills, supporting participants as they prepare for life beyond incarceration.
At the conclusion of the program, each participant will have developed a personalized reentry playbook to guide their ongoing personal and professional development.
Though this is our first time facilitating the initiative within a correctional facility, we’ve previously implemented the framework with middle school students and as part of a community college job readiness bootcamp targeting returning citizens. The program will culminate with a theatrical show performed before their peers.
👉 Click here to explore the framework and see outcomes from past implementations.
Gratitude to Our Shipmates & Advisory Board
Thank you to the incredible individual Shipmates whose support helped propel this initiative:
Aaron R. Martin | Aaron Thompson | Bianka Reese | Brenda Smith | Dane Mullis | Darby Hickey | Darryl Boone | DeLisa Gore | Douglas Sawyer | Elle Sullivan | Eric Mattocks | Glenda Stinson | Graham McLaughlin | Holly Russell | Isabel Reiff | Jacqueline Hite | Jane Petkofsky | Jason Witmer | Jeremiah Smith | Jill Perry | Joey Brown | Kamau Brown | Kamau Donadelle | Kanton Reynolds | LaTiesha Cooper | Laura Willumsen | Leah Cowan | Lyra Dumdum | Mario Connor | Precious Dadzie | Ralph Brown | Shantell Carraway | Stacy Greene Jordan | Todd Belcore
Thank you to our Advisory Board for your strategic guidance for the past 2 years:
Rev. Andre Greene, Varick Memorial AME Zion Church | DeLisa D. Hawkes, Ph.D, University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Daniel Stradford, mnqn studio | Gregory Cutler, J.D, NASA Research and Education Support Services | Joshua Collins, MPA, U.S. Department of Justice | Mario Connor, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company | Monica R. Gibbs, Gibbs Consulting LLC | Matthew Ross, Alexandria City Public Schools; Logic Ed LEAP | Stevie Clark, U.S. Navy | Shanelle Roberson, Beck Center for Social Impact + Innovation; FreeTruth Solutions
Join the Movement
📌 Click here to become a Shipmate and gain access to our critically acclaimed multimedia series — including Letters from America’s 3rd World, our award-winning documentary short that chronicles the journey of incarceration and healing that inspired this initiative.
💛 You can also support the future of this work with a tax-deductible contribution. Gifts of $25 or more grant exclusive Shipmate access.
Learn More and Stay Connected
This is just the beginning. We believe healing, growth, and transformation are possible when people are given the space, tools, and support to imagine something different — and we’re committed to creating that space.
To learn more about the What's Your Anchor Initiative, and the incarceration journey that inspired it — visit: 🌐 https://shipandanchorbiz.com/theship.
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