Terrance Coffie was the featured speaker on Friday, January 24th as part of Temple Shalom's Shabbat Speaker Series. He is the founder of the Educate Don’t Incarcerate organization. EDI’s mission is to drive criminal justice reform and improve access to higher education for formerly incarcerated persons through advocacy and mentorship. More information is available at the website https://www.educatedontincarcerate.com/.
He is a living testament to the idea that hard work and education can change one’s life. After graduating with his Associate Degree from Bronx Community College, he achieved his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University. As Terrance says, “for me, education has become a means not only to see the world, but an avenue by which I can carry a message of hope to lives that are sometimes torn by despair.”