transformation for incarcerated people is possible
We know it because we’ve lived it.
Meet the Team Behind our Mission
Abby Cornelius
Secretary & Treasurer, Second Mountain Leadership
Wife of Former Algoa Correctional Center resident
Bo Cornelius
Director of Prison Ministry, Our Daily Bread Ministries
GLA Program Coordinator, GLN
Executive Director, Second Mountain
Former Algoa Correctional Center Resident
How we got our name
Our inspiration came from the book “Second Mountain” by David Brooks in which he shares the philosophy that the first mountain is a metaphor for living life purely for yourself until something knocks you off course. Then, the journey of the rest of your life begins from the valley of the first. It’s the ascent up the second mountain where you discover life’s true purpose: to live for others.
Adding leadership came naturally since our ultimate objective is to give residents purpose in prison today and set them on a new trajectory for the rest of their lives– through the lens of leadership, they begin to understand rehabilitation as a process of transformational change and not simply the transaction of learning.
“The Second Mountain is where we discover that our deepest fulfillment lies in serving others.”
– David Brooks
Core Values
Authenticity
We believe transformational change begins when we empower prison residents to lead their own programs (built by people who have lived prison experiences, too) so they can both learn and practice the process of leadership in real-time.
Strengths-based
By implementing strengths-based leadership programs in prisons, we help residents embark on a journey of self-discovery, enabling them to thrive and help them become an asset to their families and the broader communities of which they are a part.
Community
We strive to make broken people whole through connection. Sadly, many residents have never experienced a healthy relationship. Also, by fostering collaborative efforts with other partner organizations, we believe we all can make better use of our collective resources.
Transformational change begins one resident at a time.
“The hope and the inspiration that I see in these guys– it’s extremely powerful. That’s what makes the Global Leadership Academy beautiful and completely different than anything else that you experience from a prison program.”
– Bo Cornelius
Let’s Continue the conversation
If you, like us, believe incarcerated individuals deserve a better future, let’s talk. Together we can help them begin a fresh start to the rest of their lives and change prison culture from the inside out.