The State of Oklahoma has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation. And now, as we set forth on a new school year throughout this community and, indeed, across this state, we pause to ask: What about the children of those incarcerated? Who’s assisting the kids, in this moment of great transition, whose parents are behind bars? Our guest on ST is Lindsay Fry-Geier, the executive director of a nonprofit called New Hope Oklahoma, which — as is noted on its website — “serves children of prisoners ages 5 through 18 by providing school-based and community-based after school programs, weekend retreats, holiday gatherings, monthly family social events, and residential summer camps…. New Hope is changing the lives of children of prisoners everyday. When a child’s parent goes to prison, many important developmental milestones are put in jeopardy and children suffer, but New Hope is working to break the cycle of generational incarceration in the state of Oklahoma.” In fact, as Fry-Geier adds on our program, this important nonprofit — which serves kids all over the Greater Tulsa area (and also, in its summer camps, kids from all over the state) — has the unabashed goal of “ending generational incarceration one child at a time.” Also on today’s show, commentator Barry Friedman wrestles with whether and how he’ll ever convince his elderly father to move out of Las Vegas. (Easier said than done.)

Article by: Rich Fisher of Public Radio Tulsa | Click here to visit