Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
Fifty-eight percent of women in prison and nearly 80% of women in jails are mothers, according to the Vera Institute.
With this in mind, NBA player Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards returned to Flint, his hometown, on Sunday November 26. Kuzma paid a visit to single mothers and their children who were visiting them at the Genesee County Jail.
Kuzma grew up in a single-parent household, and he told the Courier he has a special place in his heart for single mothers in the Flint community. He also showed he cared about women who many may not think about – incarcerated mothers.
“This is extremely important to me because there are a lot of people that are not heard, not given the opportunities to understand certain things in life or being in certain situations in their life that don’t really have nobody that cares about them or even helps,” said Kuzma. “So, for me, and also my foundation, it’s extremely important that we give a helping hand.”
Kuzma offered children who were visiting their mothers at the jail Christmas gifts. Additionally, he helped donate more than $60,000 worth of clothes to the incarcerated women to wear upon their release and to job interviews through the Kyle Kuzma Family Foundation. The foundation refurbished housing inside the jail. Kuzma also delivered the commencement speech for I.G.N.I.T.E’s 23rd graduation ceremony.
The I.G.N.I.T.E program at Genesee County Jail’s mission is to reverse the cycle of generational incarceration through education of inmates while they are in the jail system.
“It’s an added layer to the system where they’re bringing educational purposes to individuals that will help instill determination and resiliency while they’re here (in the Genesee County Jail),” stated Kuzma. “Fast forward to the R.I.S.E, which is (focused on) re-entry into society – these women, in the first six months of them getting out and being stable and having kind of like a safe haven.”
Representatives from Motherly Intercession were also present. According to the Motherly Intercession website, Motherly Intercession originated as a grassroots organization in 1999 by Shirley Cochran. She and her husband wanted to identify one family to support at Christmas. Cochran went into the Genesee County Jail in search of one mother who would not be home with her children at Christmas. She distributed an application among the incarcerated mothers and two weeks later received request for support from twenty-three incarcerated mothers, which represented fifty-eight children throughout Genesee County.
When Sheriff Chris Swanson came, he allowed Motherly Intercession, which also offers parenting classes, to continue to be in the jail and be part of the I.G.N.I.T. E. program.
During the Nov. 26 event, the currently incarcerated mothers and their children were able to make pizzas and Christmas ornaments together. They also enjoyed smoothies, popcorn and cotton candy.
One of the mothers had given birth to her baby while in jail. She held her for the first time at approximately five weeks old. She said it was “hard” and “sad” to give birth while incarcerated. However, she told the Courier she felt “happy, excited and emotional” to see her that day.
Another mother spoke to the Courier while making Christmas ornaments with her toddler-aged daughter. She said had been incarcerated for 2 ½ years, but would be able to go home in about a month and a half.
Percy Glover, executive director of Community Engagement at the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, shared with the Courier how seeing his mom helped him when he was incarcerated.
“I spent 11 years, six months, four days in prison,” explained Glover. “I spent a year right here in the county jail going through the trial process. To give the short version of it, me and my friends were shot at and we, in the most juvenile way, retaliated.”
Glover said at that time there were in-person visits instead of the virtual visits that inmates have today at the jail.
Glover said his mother “encouraged him to be better and to stay on the right path”
Glover added: “She was a real encouragement in my life…She encouraged me not only to do what I do at the Genesee County Jail, but also in the community. Both parents are important in our lives, but our mothers have a special place.”
