Episode 32: Community-Based Change: Liz Frederick on Safe Spaces and Alternatives to Incarceration
Siblings, Safe Spaces, and Second Chances: Lessons from the Frontlines with Liz Frederick
In Episode 32 of What I Know Now, presented by The Delta Project, co-host Cole Williams sits down with Liz Frederick, Executive Director of Avenues for Justice, for an honest and deeply personal conversation about reimagining support for court-involved and at-risk youth.
Drawing from her nearly 20 years of experience and a remarkable legacy at Avenues for Justice, Liz Frederick shares the organization’s holistic, community-based approach to serving young people in New York City. Listeners learn how AFJ breaks cycles of generational incarceration by providing continuous court advocacy, mental health support, educational opportunities, workforce development, and crucial family engagement.
The episode highlights the vital role lived experience plays in advocacy and mentorship, as illustrated by inspiring success stories of program graduates who return to give back. Cole Williams and Liz Frederick candidly discuss systemic inequities, the impact of trauma, the significance of safe spaces, and why supporting siblings and families is essential to meaningful intervention.
Relevant for parents, educators, policymakers, and anyone passionate about transforming the juvenile justice system, this must-listen episode offers actionable insights on how to support and advocate for true alternatives to incarceration, create long-term impact, and build resilient communities.
Key Topics:
Realities of the juvenile justice system
Lived experience as a foundation for advocacy
The importance of safe spaces and continuous care
Breaking cycles of incarceration through family and sibling support
Holistic wraparound services: mental health, education, workforce, and housing
The economic and societal case for community-based alternatives to incarceration
Listen now for tangible pathways to make a difference and learn what it truly means to support and empower court-involved youth!
