GIG HARBOR — Thirty women at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW), walked down an aisle set up in the prison gym to the familiar notes of Pomp and Circumstance, dressed in bright blue graduation robes and tasseled mortarboards.
For a moment, they weren’t people who were incarcerated. They were graduates — the first-ever cohort of Defy Ventures’ CEO of Your New Life program at WCCW.
Family members filled metal folding chairs along the sides of the gym, watching as loved ones’ names were called as they collected their certificates. Graduates exchanged hugs and chatted excitedly. Some wept openly, their faces flushed with emotion as they celebrated a milestone they didn’t imagine when they first entered prison.
Defy Ventures President and CEO Andrew Glazier delivered the commencement address, urging the graduates to use this experience to challenge the narrative that had defined them and reshape it through choices they make now.
“You’re creating a new definition of yourself and a new story and while that old story is part of you, it ceases to define who you are today,” Glazier said. “As your new story grows it crowds out the old one and in this process of narrative change, you begin to believe this new story about yourself. The choices you make begin to fit your character differently. As you believe in this new you, others will believe in this new you also.”
The graduation marked the completion of a seven-month program designed to help incarcerated participants rethink their pasts — and their futures. CEO of Your New Life blends business education, personal development, and mentorship to prepare participants for reentry through entrepreneurship and career readiness. Program organizers say the same grit, hustle and leadership that often fuels criminal activity can, with guidance, become the foundation for legitimate careers and businesses.
“There is a ton of entrepreneurial talent among people who are locked up,” Glazier said. “Many have been involved in illegal businesses. That’s what got them there. But when given the chance to put their talent to work within the framework we offer, they can repurpose that talent to work in legal careers and legal businesses.”
Nationwide, Defy Ventures operates 25 prisons across nine states, according to its latest annual report. Since launching in 2010, the nonprofit has consistently reported strong reentry outcomes. On average, around 85% of participants secure employment within six months of release, Glazier said. Fewer than 10% return to prison within three years. By comparison, the national recidivism rate is approximately 46%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, which measures recidivism as returning to prison within five years.
The graduation ceremony capped the final day of competition. Earlier that morning, participants delivered “Shark Tank”-style pitches for mock businesses they developed during the program. Community career coaches evaluated the pitches in preliminary rounds, scoring and ranking each idea. The top five finalists advanced to a final round, presenting their businesses before their incarcerated peers, who voted to determine the winner.
All program graduates will receive a Chromebook upon release, while the person with the top business pitch earns an additional $500. Defy Ventures also offers ongoing post-release career coaching and reentry support to interested graduates after they return to their communities.
The final business pitches at WCCW included:
- Our Crowns, a 24-hour salon catering to Black and minority ethnic hairstyling;
- The Scoop, a dog waste disposal service;
- The Pit, a woman-owned auto repair shop staffed primarily by women and queer mechanics and designed in part to address research showing women are often quoted higher prices for the same auto repairs as men; and
- Everything Royal Cleaning, a residential and commercial cleaning company.
The overall winner was Jennifer R., whose business, Serendipity Braille, would contract with businesses, government agencies, and organizations to convert printed materials into Braille. The service aims to meet the needs of the more than 1.6 million Americans who are blind or visually impaired.
Jennifer’s idea grew directly from her experience working as a Braille transcriber while incarcerated at WCCW. Through a partnership with the Washington State School for the Blind’s Ogden Resource Center, the prison produces Braille versions of textbooks, voter guides, restaurant menus, and technical manuals. During her time at the facility, Jennifer earned seven national Braille transcription certifications from the Library of Congress.
She said the experience — and the Defy Ventures program — helped her see herself as more than the crime that brought her to prison.
“One of the biggest struggles I’ve had is overcoming the stigma of being someone who’s broken the law and gone to prison, and dealing with the disappointment I caused my husband, my children, and my family,” Jennifer said. “This has been an opportunity to move past that — to work through the shame, find forgiveness, and see potential in moving forward and building a new life while taking responsibility for the past.”
She credited the volunteer community mentors — business owners and professionals who coached participants throughout the program — with helping her shape realistic goals for reentry.
“I was honestly very surprised,” she said. “Coming into the first few classes, I didn’t know what to expect. But the level of community involvement, the investment from people willing to come in, mentor us, and give their time — that was huge. The positive atmosphere made a real difference.”
Listen to the top five finalists give their business pitches.
