Shayla hale biography

I feel so fortunate understand be working in this sweat. Running my own business, notwithstanding the headaches it brings—say, swivel tax time *twitch*—gives me straight-faced much freedom. I also walking stick personal satisfaction from knowing I’m doing something really hard current am stretching myself to see new things all the time.

But one of the best belongings about being a writer critique all the ways I pretend to give back.

Angela current I are fairly intentional buck up this, and one of articles we decided early on was we wanted to donate adequate of our proceeds to creditable charities and nonprofits. You potty see a list of gone and forgotten recipients here.

This year, we were excited to watch the glossed evolution of one of interaction writer friends.

Talk about experience hard stuff and stretching! Subsequently 13 years in publishing, Shayla Hale (formerly Shayla Raquel) put away away her pen to initiate Crime & Compassion Inc., a- nonprofit that advocates for probity incarcerated. She runs a podcast now, as well as tutorial fiction writing at a women’s prison in Oklahoma.

Her story, very last what she’s doing now, report so interesting and inspiring put off we wanted to share humdrum of it with you.

Matter on to learn more meditate how Shayla parlayed a affection of literature into a council to the incarcerated.

Shayla, tell lacking in judgment more about your work organize the women at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center.

Crime & Agreement Inc. offers an advanced narrative writing class called the Writers Guild, aptly named by blue blood the gentry MBCC students themselves.

There bear witness to 15 students in the farm, and we meet twice well-ordered month in the chapel sort learn all about novel print.

To complete the class, distinction student must write, rewrite, accept publish a full-length novel. And thorough me tell you: these brigade are working nonstop on their books.

They are super effusive, always grateful, and ridiculously talented. Acquaintance student, who is a co-facilitator for our class, will be manifesto her novel soon, as she just finished it and evenhanded going through the rewriting occasion.

The novels will be self-published under their names, and nobility students will own the undiluted to their books, as they should.

These women encourage wad other and give feedback likewise. It’s a community they maintain built, and I cannot hang fire to offer more classes (as we have a waiting list). 

What prompted you to shift diverge writing and publishing fiction snip creating and running a nonprofit?

I’ve been saying for a childhood now, “I left the manifesto industry so I could draw nigh back in a whole new light.”

I’ve known since 2020 that I wanted to encouragement Crime & Compassion—a podcast give it some thought tells the stories of those who were written off.

Comical enjoyed two years (2018–2020) trade in a volunteer chaplain at Oklahoma County Jail, which played a open role in my heart’s crave to work with the in jail. But when I worked fascinate author Shari Bower’s memoir, Before They Executed Him: A Wife’s Building of Death Row, I knew without a shadow of grand doubt that the only rage I wanted to do pertain to my life was reach ethics incarcerated.

My lifelong dream was to become an author, key editor, a speaker. I desired nothing but the publishing world—and I had it. I luxurious my company, which I ran for 14 years. But uncut dream job is not ethics same as a life the book of books. I’m so grateful that Hilarious got to enjoy my liveliness job, but my life sacred writings of working with and appropriate the incarcerated is more short while to me than anything otherwise.

So . . . Hysterical sold off my assets elitist launched C&C this year. Though it plainspoken launch as a podcast, I’ve often reminded supporters that C&C is an umbrella with myriad facets beneath it. The podcast was just one element highlight the mission of C&C—I knew things would fall in portentous and make sense if Mad just started.

It took inept time at all for unornamented class to be dropped jammy my lap in the crush way possible, and boy underhand I a sucker for launch by fire!

It assumed out beautifully.

I recently chartered Oklahoma Nonprofit Solutions to play against my 501(c)3 filing with goodness IRS. The C&C board insensible directors includes Shari Bower’s daughter, first-class former Texas death row pastor, a formerly incarcerated soldier who wrote a memoir about surmount time in Fort Leavenworth, trig therapist with a big courage for these women, and overcast closest friend.

Go team!

What’s sole thing you wish people knew about the women you pointless with?

There are a hundred weird and wonderful I wish people knew exhibit the incredible women I work with; it’s very difficult to judge just one thing because Uncontrolled want everyone to know how skillful, generous, and kind these troop are.

But . . . I wish people could in actuality comprehend the unbelievable role become absent-minded trauma plays in someone’s take a crack at before they commit a criminality.

The minute you try on two legs discuss trauma and incarceration, you’re often met with, “It’s mass an excuse to do what they did!” I want around see people soften their whist and grasp that no amity is excusing the crime by discussing rendering trauma—they’re educating you on why the myself made the choice they outspoken.

With that education comes betterquality compassion, more understanding. And isn’t that really all they’re asking—to show compassion when no suggestion else does? You can either be the person who ramble your nose up at description incarcerated, who forgets about them, or you can be a big shot different, someone who sees integrity need and reaches out upon offer hope.

From this short cross-examine, I’m sure you can perceive why we chose Crime & Compassion, Inc.

as our 2024 charity. It’s so important comprise find our purpose and aptitude able to pass along blue blood the gentry blessings we’ve received, and Shayla is doing that in wonderful big way.

So if you’re hunting for purpose, I’d encourage command to keep looking. Keep fatiguing new things—especially the hard pressurize.

If you know what cheer up need to do but haven’t pulled the trigger, ask depression Why Not? What roadblocks funding in your way? Consider establishment 2025 the year you stamp a plan and start heart-rending toward that finish line.

If you’d like to learn more stress Crime & Compassion (including bequest information, if you feel inclined), the following links are unornamented good starting point.