Page 9 - WesternU View - Spring 2015
P. 9
Tanya Brown, 55, receives dental care and treatment from Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine students Melanie Villalobos and Ben Nguyen,
DMD ’15, along with supervising assistant professor Effuah Harris, DDS, at the Dental Center.
“Being able to sit down in an interview and feel good Her children are now grown and she has six
about yourself, knowing you look good, makes a huge grandchildren. She is starting to re-enter their lives,
difference in how you’re able to present yourself.” and attended a reunion shortly after her release.
Crossroads is about helping women get back on their “I met a lot of family I had never met previously,”
feet, whether it’s their second chance or their 94th Brown said. “Everyone was very welcoming.”
chance, Dodge said.
The support Crossroads provides is allowing Brown to
“They realize they need to live their life differently. go to school. She is learning computer and clerical
What we’re doing at Crossroads is helping women see skills and plans to enroll at Mt. San Antonio College
their options and opportunities,” she said. “It’s not next year. She will then sit down with a career
enough to tell people to stop doing something. You counselor to talk about her professional options.
must teach them what to say ‘yes’ to. That’s what we
do at Crossroads.” “Crossroads is a wonderful program, and it continues
to encourage me, and I’m feeling blessed to be part of
Brown said she turned to Crossroads after her parole that,” she said. “It’s important for individuals to know
because she didn’t want to depend on her family to there is life after prison. You don’t have to feel your
support her. life is over. You learn from your mistakes, and you
must not repeat them. If you’re able to do that, to find
“I wanted to stand on my own two feet,” Brown said. out what it is to have a full and whole life, then I
“Crossroads provided that for me. The program keeps think you’re moving in the right direction.”
on giving. They are about giving back to the – Rodney Tanaka
community.”
WesternU View Spring 2015 7
DMD ’15, along with supervising assistant professor Effuah Harris, DDS, at the Dental Center.
“Being able to sit down in an interview and feel good Her children are now grown and she has six
about yourself, knowing you look good, makes a huge grandchildren. She is starting to re-enter their lives,
difference in how you’re able to present yourself.” and attended a reunion shortly after her release.
Crossroads is about helping women get back on their “I met a lot of family I had never met previously,”
feet, whether it’s their second chance or their 94th Brown said. “Everyone was very welcoming.”
chance, Dodge said.
The support Crossroads provides is allowing Brown to
“They realize they need to live their life differently. go to school. She is learning computer and clerical
What we’re doing at Crossroads is helping women see skills and plans to enroll at Mt. San Antonio College
their options and opportunities,” she said. “It’s not next year. She will then sit down with a career
enough to tell people to stop doing something. You counselor to talk about her professional options.
must teach them what to say ‘yes’ to. That’s what we
do at Crossroads.” “Crossroads is a wonderful program, and it continues
to encourage me, and I’m feeling blessed to be part of
Brown said she turned to Crossroads after her parole that,” she said. “It’s important for individuals to know
because she didn’t want to depend on her family to there is life after prison. You don’t have to feel your
support her. life is over. You learn from your mistakes, and you
must not repeat them. If you’re able to do that, to find
“I wanted to stand on my own two feet,” Brown said. out what it is to have a full and whole life, then I
“Crossroads provided that for me. The program keeps think you’re moving in the right direction.”
on giving. They are about giving back to the – Rodney Tanaka
community.”
WesternU View Spring 2015 7
