Strategic Alumni Voices Inside (S.A.V.I.)

(Photos/Hudson Link)

Hamilton Croft, LaMarr W. Knox, Christopher Martinez, Franklin McPherson, Michael Newmark and Marvin Osorio, are the founders of Strategic Alumni Voices Inside (S.A.V.I.) which is a collective of Hudson Link-affiliated incarcerated alumni and scholars to humanize the justice system. Through partnership with community-based organization, S.A.V.I. advances policy change that center on rehabilitation, restoration, and meaningful second chance opportunities while strengthening public safety and communities.

On February 20, 2026, S.A.V.I. met with Assembly member and Chair of Corrections Erik M. Dilan, Secretary to the speaker for intergovernmental and external affairs for NY State Assembly Josiel P. Estrella, Deputy Secretary to the speaker for intergovernmental Mayleen Rivera-Burrell, and Counsel to the Speaker of the New York State Assembly Alana Sivin, to get further insight on the Second Look Act and to ask what can the New York State prison population do to assist them on getting the bill signed.

The leading message we received from each one of S.A.V. I's guests was that we have strong, passionate people who champion our cause. Josiel P. Estrella, steadfastly believes that more legislators should come inside these dark, gloomy walls to shed some hope and light to prisoners and let us know that we're not alone. Mayleen Rivera-Burrell, shared her story with us, how she had a counselor at her school who believed in her and told her she would never reach her full potential as long as she stayed in Bronx, N.Y. So she moved to Albany, N.Y., where she started her own nonprofit organization to help young women to find their identity. Now she focuses on reaching out to female and male correctional facilities to offer her assistance and knowledge, and to let us know that we are more than just our past.

Assemblymember Erik M. Dilan, emphasized that he is very passionate when it comes to Criminal Justice Reform, not just because he has formerly and currently incarcerated family but because he personally knows and understands the importance of giving people (prisoners) a second chance at life. He ended his message by informing us that Carl Heastie, New York State Assembly Speaker, Leticia James, New York State Attorney General, and Andrea Stewart-Cousins, New York State Senate Speaker are the first African Americans in their position. Alana Sivin, Counsel to the Speaker of New York State Assembly, is a woman who started her career as a New York State Public Defender, and has since dedicated her life to the Criminal Justice System. She added on to Mr. Dilan's statement by saying, "You cannot be a person of color in this world and not care about the Criminal Justice System."

SA.V.I. supports the Second Look Act not solely because the majority of people who are incarcerated were arrested at a very young age, but because it is rooted in research, fairness, and public safety. Studies consistently show that people age out of crime and recidivism rates drop significantly as individuals grow older. New York continues to hold thousands of people under lengthy sentences-imposed decades ago without a meaningful mechanism for review.

This bill does not offer immediate release. It provides a judicial process for resentencing consideration after a significant period of incarceration. Judges would weigh rehabilitation, disciplinary record, programming, victim impact, and public safety before rendering a decision. The Second Look Act strengthens accountability by allowing courts to examine who a person has become. It recognizes maturity, growth and demonstrated rehabilitation as relevant factors in sentencing.

If given the opportunity to have our transformation reviewed, the journey of S.A.V.I.'s members while incarcerated highlights the importance of being afforded a second chance at life. S.A.V.I.'s message on behalf of the New York State Prison population is that transformation is not theoretical, it is real. We ask that family and loved ones of Incarcerated Men and Women get involved and help us get our legislators to take a stand of courage and pass the Second Look Act.

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Franklin McPherson (Din# 08-A-6326), age 39, has been incarcerated since age 20 and is serving his 19th year out of a 25 years to life sentence at Shawangunk Correctional Facility. Amongst his many accomplishments and volunteer work, is his Bachelor Degree in Social Science. All interested can contact him at Franklin McPherson (Din# 08-A-6326), Shawangunk Correctional Facility, 200 Quick Road, Wallkill, New York, 12589 or via securustech.net app.