Meet the Man Who's Been on a Mission to Remake His Own Life…and the Legal System…Since His Release from Prison

By Stacey Lindsay
December 11, 2021

Devon Simmons was just 17 years old and three weeks away from his high school graduation when he was convicted of first- and second-degree assault as well as criminal possession of a weapon. During his 15 years in prison, he became a reader, writer, and the first graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice's Prison-to-College Pipeline program. Simmons was released in 2014, and at age 40 now, he's on a mission to not only continue remaking his life, but also helping to change the educational and career trajectory for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. He co-created the Paralegal Pathways Initiative at Columbia Law School, a 14-week training course that teaches tech and communication skills, legal ethics, and legal history to the incarcerated…'all the basics that would allow you to be a paralegal,” Simmons told The New York Times. We applaud Simmons for using his experience to enact change. You can read more about Simmons' story and advocacy work in The New York Times.

Stacey Lindsay

Stacey Lindsay is the author of BEING 40: The Decade of Letting Go—and Embracing We We Are, a title from The Open Field.

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Meet the Man Who's Been on a Mission to Remake His Own Life…and the Legal System…Since His Release from Prison

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