Bradley Lum, CEO of the Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation, says he saw the position as an opportunity to "be on the front end of the good things that are happening upon re-entry" for people who've been incarcerated.
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Bradley is excited about criminal justice reform and adequate rehabilitation while behind bars and says there are many roadblocks to success after leaving prison, including things like having a driver's license and a social security card.
"The thing that we're looking at as a state is how do we start to look at this from a holistic standpoint to make sure there's true community integration and true family reunification and that we're putting people in a position to be successful once they get out of incarceration and out of the department of corrections."
The Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation is, at its core, a job training organization dedicated to putting people in a position to learn a skill or a trade while incarcerated. Once the person is released, the staff helps the individual find a long-lasting career.
"Welding, pipe-fitting and machine work are one of our largest areas, but we also have a garment factory. We do logistics and warehousing, wood-working, and we're in the process of creating a construction path." Bradley Lum says.
When asked about how his faith plays into his daily work, Bradley Lum says "as a Christ follower, everything that I do is about glorifying God in the steps that I take and ultimately drawing people towards Him. At it's (my faith's) core, helping the 'least of these' and I believe that our incarcerated population is the 'least of these'...while they committed a crime or did something to be in the position that they're in, we look at it as the opportunity for redemption, the opportunity to create the second chance, the opportunity for them to turn the page, the opportunity to put them in a position where they are wanted and valued and feel that from the community again."