Key Takeaways
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Frank Davis and Aaron Hicks developed the ECHO program to help guide and rehabilitate current inmates using their own lived experiences.
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The nine-week curriculum teaches participants about identity, mental health, healthy relationships, and vital job-readiness skills.
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Following a highly successful pilot run, the founders are currently working to expand the program to offer year-round support.
Fostering change through shared lived experience
Two formerly incarcerated men are proving that the most effective messengers for prison reform are often those who have lived through the system themselves. Frank Davis and Aaron Hicks have developed a pioneering initiative called ECHO, which stands for Every Choice Holds an Opportunity. Their pilot program, recently tested at the Racine Correctional Institution, has yielded remarkable behavioral changes in just nine short weeks.
Partnering with local university educators and prison leadership, Davis and Hicks initially designed the curriculum to help individuals transition out of restrictive housing, commonly known as solitary confinement. The initiative quickly expanded after administrators and participants alike recognized its profound positive impact. Because the founders openly share their own histories within the justice system, participants immediately lean in, shedding the typical apprehension associated with institutionally mandated groups.
The nine-week ECHO curriculum covers a wide array of vital topics, from the history of incarceration to mental health and healthy relationships. It encourages participants to define their own identities rather than accepting the labels placed upon them by the system. Furthermore, the program equips individuals with practical post-release skills, such as resume building and navigating workplace culture, while emphasizing the importance of choosing healthy environments upon reentry.
Feedback from the participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Many credit the program with changing their outlook on life, helping them focus on personal growth, family, and long-term goals. Prison staff have also noted a stark improvement in how inmates interact with guards and handle conflicts. Looking ahead, Davis and Hicks are raising funds to expand the ECHO program, hoping to provide a full year of continuous support and bridge the gap between what incarcerated individuals need to heal and what is currently available to them.
