Part of a D ynamic D uo Cory Marrionneaux, CEO of Black Men Coalition Of Dane County (BMCODC)
C ory Marrionneaux and Rodney often work in synch, with Umbrella providing shelter, food, and counseling and BMCODC providing employment services and transportation. For those formerly incarcerated, Cory knows first-hand what they need when they get out of prison. “I started out being one of those individuals.” When he was released, the transition back into society was so rough that he ended up back in prison. “I was a part of the recidivism rate each time I was released because I just didn't have the opportunities, necessary tools, or resources….”
While in prison, Cory was helping, teaching AODA, anger
management, and cognitive group intervention.
So, how did he finally break the pattern of recidivism? He laughs, “The hard way; I got hit over the head enough times to where I got some sense.” But he doesn’t want other people to go through that. And it starts with having someone out there who cares, in his case, Mike Johnson from the Boys and Girls Club. “When somebody who's living a righteous life puts faith and value into someone that's in a sinking ship, appreciation really brings a lot of value to the individual. . . I think that is key for anyone's success who's in the process of transitioning from a prison or jail sentence back into the community. Mike Johnson told me, ‘You should start an organization and work with black men.’ It was off to the races from there.” Cory thought of three things that would have made his transition from prison easier: transportation, employment services—and housing, which Rodney was already providing at Umbrella. The Boys and Girls club was their fiscal agent in their first year. “Now, we're independent and flourishing. We’ve got about forty employees.”
1 N. Pinckney St. Madison, WI 53703
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