John Rodriguez

Education & Communications Manager

Oakland, California

Email John

John Rodriguez graduated magna cum laude from UCLA in 2020 with an undergraduate degree in English. He was a non-traditional transfer student who completed most of his transfer requirements while incarcerated and upon release continued to pursue his education. Through writing and performance art, he aims to make higher education accessible to our incarcerated community members and alleviate the stigma associated with incarceration. He hopes to teach university-level courses inside prisons one day, using art as a form of therapy and education. 

He has worked with several organizations within the reentry field including the Underground Scholars at UCLA, St. John’s Community Health, the Creative Futures Collective, and the Prison Arts Collective.

In his free time, John enjoys doodling in his journals, writing, and gaming online. He also enjoys spending time in the kitchen and trying out new recipes.

John Rodriguez

Education & Communications Manager

Oakland, California

Email John

John Rodriguez graduated magna cum laude from UCLA in 2020 with an undergraduate degree in English. He was a non-traditional transfer student who completed most of his transfer requirements while incarcerated and upon release continued to pursue his education. Through writing and performance art, he aims to make higher education accessible to our incarcerated community members and alleviate the stigma associated with incarceration. He hopes to teach university-level courses inside prisons one day, using art as a form of therapy and education. 

He has worked with several organizations within the reentry field including the Underground Scholars at UCLA, St. John’s Community Health, the Creative Futures Collective, and the Prison Arts Collective.

In his free time, John enjoys doodling in his journals, writing, and gaming online. He also enjoys spending time in the kitchen and trying out new recipes.

Why do you come to work at Root & Rebound every day?

I come to work at Root & Rebound each day in hopes to make a small difference in the lives of those who are currently and formerly incarcerated. I wish for them to envision themselves past the ugliness of incarceration and to understand that they have so much light and positivity to offer the world. If the impact I make allows their transition to be smoother even in the slightest sense, that would make me happy.

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