We are excited to share ‘Behind the Bird,’ additional content around the theme of our most recent edition of Fortune News, Digital Literacy and Equity. These articles highlight additional guest writers and include extended versions of pieces in the publication. 

Laron Rogers is featured in our latest edition as a Face of Fortune for his work in Supervised Release and ongoing activism. This extended article highlights more detail about his work and future plans. 

Laron Rogers began his advocacy against gun violence while still in prison. At Sing Sing Correctional Facility, while serving a 25-year-to-life sentence, Laron and fellow incarcerated men created an intensely personal and powerful video in which they tell their heartbreaking stories. 

In Voices From Within, six stories are shared by the men about their connection to gun violence. In a room with only themselves and a camera, they each take turns telling the emotional story of how they became incarcerated and the lessons they’ve learned. 

With active support from Sing Sing superintendent Michael Capra, the men attracted volunteer support from NBC News producer Dan Slepian. In dozens of work sessions, the team focused on conveying to vulnerable teenagers how a split-second burst of anger can destroy lives. Instead, as Slepian explains, they should “stop and think for just one second before they grab that weapon.” 

In the video, speaking on his own experience, Laron said, “Picking up a gun to settle a dispute because you don’t like somebody or thinking that’s the answer, you’re wrong.” 

Voices From Within has been widely shown at youth groups and police precinct stations and is used as a training tool for police personnel. In 2014, Dan Slepian presented the video on TEDx Talks at Sing Sing. 

Laron is now back at home in East Harlem. And his highly focused time in prison is paying off. He entered Sing Sing as a teenager with a 6th-grade education. He returned from prison with a master’s degree in Professional Studies from The New York Theological Seminary. 

Of the group that participated in Voices from Within, all but one has been released. They now focus on working with neighborhood teens to shift them away from guns and violence. In the parks and on the streets, they connect with young people to stress the dangers guns present in their communities. 

Laron is also working as a Case Manager in Fortune’s Bronx office for their Supervised Release program in New York City. As a SPR Case Manager, he assesses the needs of Fortune’s participants awaiting trial and connects them to the resources and benefits they need.  

For 2022-2023, Laron is also a Beyond the Bars Fellow at Columbia University’s Center for Justice. Along with the other Fellows, Laron will be learning leadership skills to deepen his experience and network in an effort to help the fight to end mass incarceration. He plans to use his experience as a Fellow to continue his work in communities, raising awareness about the negative impacts of gun violence. 

Written by Jane McCarthy