Because she was so great, I had to bring Mary Carouba back to talk about a subject I am inordinately interested in – prisons. Instead of dreaming of getting married or becoming a doctor or lawyer or famous artist, Mary spent her childhood scheming how to survive in prison! She was convinced she was headed there, and it was only the Delancey Street Foundation that saved her. Part of the philosophy at Delancey Street was to “Act as if” and Mary describes how she used this to completely change her outlook on life. This also helped when Mary took a Delancey Street initiative into prisons. She gives a fascinating glimpse into what daily life is like in prison, how gangs totally rule, how inmates are treated really badly, but also how successful the initiative has been in stopping violence and giving inmates some self-respect.
