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I read an article today that stopped me in my tracks. It was called “Headlines Matter: How We Can Push Media to Improve How They Speak About Previously Incarcerated People” by Terrell Blount. And it hit me straight in the soul.

The piece described how a Milwaukee news outlet ran a story about Adam Procell, a man who once made a terrible mistake but has since turned his life around and now leads the city’s Office of Community Wellness and Safety. Instead of highlighting his transformation, leadership, or commitment to healing communities, the headline labeled him “Convicted killer to lead Milwaukee’s violence prevention office.”

Those first two words, “Convicted killer,” erased everything else. They didn’t just diminish Adam; they diminished every person who has ever done the work of rebuilding their life, taking accountability, and choosing redemption.

That headline said: You can grow, but we’ll never let you outlive your past.

Words That Cage People Twice

This story struck me because I’ve seen the same thing happen time and time again.

When the media leads with a person’s conviction instead of their contribution, it sends a clear message that their worth will always be tied to their worst decision. And the harm isn’t just emotional; it’s structural. Those words ripple through employers, landlords, policymakers, and neighbors who consume them without question.

Dehumanizing language isn’t harmless. It creates barriers to housing, employment, and dignity. It reinforces the idea that “people like that” can’t change, shouldn’t lead, and don’t belong.

But here’s the truth: people do change. I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve seen men and women who once felt lost build apps, mentor youth, start businesses, raise families, and give back to the very communities they once harmed. They are not their labels; they are proof that transformation is real.

The Power of a Shifted Narrative

After public pushback, the news outlet changed the headline to:

“From Prison to Purpose: New Violence Prevention Leader Carries Personal Mission from Tragic Past.”

That small shift changed everything. It didn’t ignore his past; it reframed it. It acknowledged pain, but also progress. And that’s what responsible storytelling should do: tell the whole truth, not just the most clickable version.

At Persevere, we see stories like Adam’s every day. Students who enter our classrooms with the weight of a label and leave with a skill, a career path, and hope. Graduates who are reshaping what it means to be justice-involved: technologists, entrepreneurs, mentors, and community leaders.

When society insists on defining people by their record, we deny the possibility of redemption. But when we choose to see their humanity, we create space for healing, not just for them but for all of us.

To the Media and to All of Us

We can do better.

To the media: You have power. Use it responsibly. Stop normalizing dehumanization. Your headlines shape how society sees people, but more importantly, how people see themselves.

And to everyone reading: don’t scroll past stories like these. Challenge them. Comment. Write to editors. Share the truth. Because silence reinforces the stigma, and every time we let that language stand, we participate in someone’s re-incarceration, not in a cell, but in the story we tell about them.

From Labels to Legacy

People are more than the worst thing they’ve ever done. They’re the sum of their growth, their courage, and their willingness to keep showing up when the world tells them they shouldn’t.

It’s time we stop leading with shame and start leading with truth.

It’s time we drop the labels.

It’s time we write new headlines, the kind that celebrate transformation, redemption, and humanity.

#DropTheLabels #SecondChances #PersevereNow