We are Growing

We here at SBI are so excited to be able to welcome some new additions to our team.  

First, we would like to welcome Grace Okerson in her new role here at SBI. During the 2020-2021 academic year, Grace served as a student intern primarily working on Communal Healing. In May, Grace graduated from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in Public Ministry with a concentration in racial justice. Her passions surround dismantling white supremacy and prison abolition. Grace has experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness and newly returning citizens. 

In June, Grace was hired on part-time as SBI’s Specialty Project Coordinator and Content Curator. Using her background in administration and journalism, Grace will organize, lead, and execute various SBI projects and manage SBI public-facing content. She will curate content for things such as SBI’s social media, events, newsletter, website, etc. Grace currently lives in Atlanta, GA, attending Candler’s School of Theology @ Emory University pursuing a Master of Divinity. 

Next, we would like to welcome Marlon J. Chamberlain. Marlon will be working as our part-time Re-entry Advisor, leading the reentry arm of the SBI program.  His work will center on innovating, imagining and implementing an SBI student-centered reentry support system.  We are thrilled for the work that we will co-create with Marlon to support SBI students while in carceral spaces and upon release.  

Marlon is an advocate for people directly impacted by the justice system. Marlon brings over 20 years of lived and professional experience to his work at McCormick and the Solidarity Building Initiative. Marlon has an established track record of creating effective coalitions. Previously, he served as the Englewood Project Manager with the READI Chicago Program at Heartland Alliance.  

Currently, Marlon serves as the Campaign Manager for the #FullyFree Campaign. Heartland Alliance’s Fully Free Campaign brings together diverse people from across Illinois to push for bold policy change, eliminating permanent punishments and providing hope and opportunity to people with records. Marlon is very active in the community. Marlon lives on the south side of Chicago with his wife and five children.