April Bosworth is a graduate of The Last Mile program and now a Website Specialist at Televerde, where she previously served as a teaching assistant inside of prison helping other incarcerated women learn coding. Michelle Cirocco is the Chief Social Responsibility Officer at Televerde and the Executive Director of the Televerde Foundation, organizations that for nearly 30 years have pioneered employment and reentry models for incarcerated women. Under their leadership, Televerde has grown into a global B2B sales and marketing firm whose clients include Microsoft, Adobe, Dell, and SAP, offering incarcerated women the opportunity to build careers that lead to long-term success after release. Their work has supported thousands of women, resulting in a 95% post-release employment rate and less than 2% recidivism.

In this conversation, April shares how she discovered coding through The Last Mile, overcame self-doubt, and built confidence by learning problem-solving and resourcefulness—skills that carried her into a corporate role while still incarcerated. Michelle reflects on her own journey through prison and describes how programs like Televerde and The Last Mile provide not just training but also financial independence, dignity, and a bridge to meaningful careers after release. Together they explore critical issues such as imposter syndrome, the stigma of incarceration, and the transformative power of being able to earn a fair wage behind bars. For those interested in criminal justice reform, this episode offers a compelling look at scalable models that reduce recidivism, break generational cycles of poverty, and prove that second chances create value for individuals, families, and businesses alike—making it essential listening for advocates, employers, and policymakers.

Episode Outline:

(00:00:00) Introduction and Guest Backgrounds

(00:01:20) April’s Journey from The Last Mile to Televerde

(00:03:20) Learning Resourcefulness and Problem-Solving in Coding

(00:06:00) Building Confidence Through Asking Questions and Making Mistakes

(00:07:00) Michelle on the Power of Safe Learning Environments in Prison

(00:09:00) The Origins and Growth of the Televerde Model

(00:11:30) Proven Success: Employment, Salaries, and Reduced Recidivism

(00:13:00) Bridging the Gap Between Incarceration and Reentry

(00:14:30) The Role of Loyalty, Gratitude, and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

(00:16:30) Televerde’s Culture of Belonging and Encouragement

(00:17:30) Messages to People Still Incarcerated – Using Time to Transform

(00:20:00) Michelle’s Personal Story and Life-Changing Advice from Prison

(00:23:00) Explaining Televerde’s Business Model and Client Partnerships

(00:26:00) Televerde Foundation, Employment Rates, and Low Recidivism

(00:28:00) April on Financial Independence While Incarcerated and Beyond

The Last Mile Radio is a production of The Last Mile and Sirius XM Radio. The show's executive producers are Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti at TLM and Liz Aiello at Sirius XM. The show is produced by Robert Roche at TLM, with technical production by Greg Sahakian, James Bilodeau at Sirius XM. Original music by Maserati-E. For more, visit www.thelastmileradio.org

In this interview, Shelley shares her extraordinary journey from growing up in a home shaped by addiction to battling her own struggles with substance abuse, incarceration, and federal charges before finding sobriety and purpose. She recounts the turning point of discovering she was pregnant while incarcerated, her persistence in seeking treatment despite systemic barriers, and the faith-driven mindset shift that became the foundation of her recovery. Shelley details the challenges of reentry, including her fight against discrimination during Microsoft’s hiring process and the pivotal role of San Francisco’s Fair Chance Ordinance in securing her first job in tech.

Episode Outline:

(00:00:00) Introduction and Shelley’s Early Life in a Home Shaped by Addiction
(00:04:00) Bartending in North Dakota and Returning to Drug Use
(00:06:00) Entering the Drug Trade and Federal Investigation
(00:09:00) Sting Operation, Surveillance, and Arrest
(00:14:00) Jail Time, Detox, and Facing Withdrawal
(00:16:00) Pregnancy, Sobriety, and Turning Toward Treatment
(00:19:00) Fighting for Admission into a Faith-Based Program
(00:21:00) Surrender, Mindset Shift, and Beginning Recovery
(00:24:00) Transition to Reentry and Dreams of Working in Tech
(00:25:00) Microsoft Job Application and Background Check Challenge
(00:28:00) Invoking the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
(00:31:00) Securing the Job and Excelling at Microsoft
(00:33:00) Rising to Top Sales Rep and Winning Microsoft’s Gold Club Award
(00:35:00) Microsoft Changes Hiring Policies and Launches LEAP Program
(00:37:00) Advocacy for Fair Chance Hiring and Broadening Opportunities
(00:41:00) Founding Winner’s Circle: Mindset, Literacy, and Sales Training
(00:44:00) Message to Incarcerated Listeners: Hope, Programs, and Change
(00:45:00) Expanding Winner’s Circle to 25 Prisons Nationwide
(00:46:00) Closing Reflections on the Power of Stories and Programs

The Last Mile Radio is a production of The Last Mile and Sirius XM Radio. The show's executive producers are Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti at TLM and Liz Aiello at Sirius XM. The show is produced by Robert Roche at TLM, with technical production by Greg Sahakian, James Bilodeau at Sirius XM. Original music by Maserati-E. For more, visit www.thelastmileradio.org

Dr. James JC Cavitt is the Executive Director of Project Rebound at CSU Fullerton, a transformative program supporting justice-impacted students as they reenter academic life and broader society. He was previously a founding student of The Last Mile’s inaugural class at San Quentin State Prison, where he began his remarkable journey from incarceration to academia. Today, Dr. Cavitt holds a Doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy, an accomplished spoken word poet, and a nationally recognized advocate for criminal justice reform. His scholarly work centers on the impacts of incarceration on emotional intimacy post-release—a subject deeply informed by his own life experience.

In this episode, Dr. Cavitt shares an intimate and powerful narrative that begins with a life sentence at age 17 and culminates in crossing the stage as “Dr. Cavitt” decades later. He speaks candidly about the emotional weight of having his dream of becoming a pediatrician denied due to a felony conviction, and how mentorship, community, and programs like The Last Mile helped him reimagine that dream through the lens of healing and mental health. Particularly compelling is his concept of the “trauma equation,” which underscores the importance of understanding the path that leads to incarceration—not just the outcome. For those passionate about systemic solutions, Dr. Cavitt’s reflections on confronting trauma, reclaiming identity, and pursuing education inside prison walls offer a profound blueprint for reform

The Last Mile Radio is a production of The Last Mile and Sirius XM Radio. The show's executive producers are Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti at TLM and Liz Aiello at Sirius XM. The show is produced by Robert Roche at TLM, with technical production by Greg Sahakian, James Bilodeau at Sirius XM. Original music by Maserati-E. For more, visit www.thelastmileradio.org