Straight Talk Program

Straight Talk BOARD Members

Phyllis P. McNeal, MSW, FOUNDER/PRESIDENT - Retired Parole Agent ii

NINA L. Wilson, Vice President, Retired Parole Agent

Connie J. Constances, LCSW , - Treasurer

Dr. Luis Garcia

Anthony Cole

Phillipa Johnson, Consultant

Gar Calhoun, Straight Talk Consumer Advocate

Mark Noel, ESQ.

Straight Talk Program Legal Advisor & Board Member

Objective

• To reduce the incarceration rate of youth and adults by providing individual intervention, counseling or mentoring services.
• To reduce the recidivism rates of previously incarcerated person by empowering them to share their story publicly at local public middle and high school and college campus.
• To promote positive behaviors and goals achievements through mentoring and counseling.

Our Results

In a six-month study of 1,126 written evaluations of the Straight Talk Program, 87% of respondents rated the talks as excellent or helpful in assisting potential violators to reevaluate their lifestyles and redirect their choices. Of parents completing the same survey, 83% reported favorable observations of the program's impact on their children. Within the same group of youth and parents, 68% requested personalized services—with 37% of the requests originating from the youths.

 951.272.5747

"Getting Off The street And On The Right Path Is Not Impossible!"

Some of My Achievements

• ALL OF US OR NONE Riverside Community Service Award 2018
• ALL OF US OR NONE Riverside Community Service Award 2016
• Molina Healthcare Community Champions Award 2015
• Mollie Bell Social Activist Award 2014
• Marquis Who's Who in America, 2011
• Martial Artists & Fighters WALL Of FAME 2010
• California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Recognition of Your Triumphant spirit and dedication to assisting others 2009
• Marquis Who's Who in the World, 24th Edition, 2007
• The Pomona Youth Day “Never Fly Alone” 2007
• Outstanding Support & Sponsor To The 2008 Gilbert Garcia Productions
• Division of Adult Parole Operations Region lll Casework 90.49% 2007
• Empire Who's Who Empowering, Executives and Professionals, 2006
• Marquis Who's Who of American Women, 25th Edition, 2006
• Cambridge Who's Who, 2006
• Orange County Neighborhood Excellence Award, 2005
• The Harvest Awards, Ambassador of Progress, 2005
• Black Wall Street Award To Honor and Recognize for Your Wonderful Work In Prison Inmate Social Reform 2005
• FAME Church Los Angeles Black Women Trailblazer award 2004
• Inspirational Award 2003
• Correctional Champions, 2001
• Defensive Tactics Instructor Department of Corrections Parole and Community Service Division 2000
• Freedom Journal Award, 2000
• Staples Community Stars Award, 1999
• Staples Community Service Award 1999
• Defensive Tactics Instructor Department of Corrections Parole and Community Service Division 1999
• KNX News Radio CBS "Citizen of the Week", 1998
• UPN Channel 13 "Hero of the Week", 1998
• American Correctional Association "Best in the Business", 1998
• California Probation, Parole, and Correctional Association
• "Parole Agent of the Year", 1998
• Department of Corrections Director's Community Service Award, 1997
• New Life Holiness Church, Youth Department For Valuable Service Rendered to This Organization and It’s Members 1993
• Department of Corrections Director's Community Service Award, 1991
• Amateur Nationals San Jose California Black Belt Sparring 1991
• Defensive Tactics Instructor Department of Corrections Parole and Community Service Division 1990
• NATIONAL BLACK LEAGUE HALL OF FAME SOUTHWEST – ADULT OF THE YEAR 1990
• Tournament Promoters Association 1990 HALL OF FAME Karate Champion
• Tournament Promoters Association 1989 HALL OF FAME KUMITE Black Belt Division
• Vancouver “1989” State Team World Games Police & Fire Gold Medal for Karate sparring
• National Police Olympic& Fire Games Brown Belt Karate Champion Men Division 1988
• Golden Life Member Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 1979
• IN RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT MCCOBB BOYS FOUNDATION 1976
• Jacqueline Girls Home Achievement Award 1976
• Jacqueline Girls Home Achievement Award 1975
• Jacqueline Girls Home Achievement Award 1974
• Featured in numerous publications, text book, newspaper articles, and media interviews
• Awarded over 200 Karate Trophies including 75 Grand Championships, State, National, & International Championships
• Police and Fire Olympic Games, 9 Gold Metals, 6 Silver Metals, Karate, Tug Of War, softball, shot put

Education:

• California State University, Long Beach, B.A. Psychology 1982
• California State University, San Bernardino, Master of Social Specialization Mental Health

Certificates:

• Positively! In Appreciation Fatherhood 2007 What’s Love Got to Do With It?
• County of Los Angeles, 15 Years of Outstanding Community Service, 2005
• University of Southern California School of Policy Planning, and Development in recognition of professional guidance to the students in the Internship Program 1998
• State of California – Department of Corrections Parole and Community Services Division In Recognition of Your Significant Contribution to the Mission of the Parole and Community Services Division, Region lll 1991
• Certificate of Achievement State Of California--Department Of Corrections has successfully completed a training program in Breaking Barriers 1990
• Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Effort, Dedication, and Good Sportsmanship by THE SCHOOLS OF UNISON 1990
• Certificate of Participation 14th ANNUAL NEVADA POLICE OLYMPICS 1989
• Tournament Promoter Association In Recognition and Appreciation to You As A Winning Competitor of 1988
• 22nd Annual California Police Olympics Certificate of Participation Awarded by The Bakersfield Police Olympic Committee 1988
• Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education Center for Professional Development Certificate of Completion in Early Childhood Education Workshop Contemporary Program Planning for Early Childhood Education 1979

STRAIGHT TALK PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Straight-Talk Court and Community Advocacy-supported more than 73 adult court cases in the past 29 years in the Los Angeles, Inglewood, Compton, Long Beach, Sylmar, Eastlake, Kenya Justice Center, Chino, San Bernardino, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga, and Inland Empire court systems; four cases in the Los Angeles Federal courts, and one case in Las Vegas federal courts.
• STP advocated for 23 Juveniles court cases.
• STP Mentee second generation Desirae M. Jones, begin University of Texas Austin, Law School on July 29, 2019.
• STP Mentee Sha-Rissa L. Grey, graduated from California State University, Chico with Distinction 4.0 GPA Master Of Social Work Speciation Mental Health on May 15, 2019, Mentee
  STP , California for Safety and Justice and other grassroots organizations Lobby Day at the Capital , Sacramento, CA on June 11, 2019. Recently, The California Assembly passed two bills that seek to bring equity to California’s criminal justice system. AB 1076, a bill to automate the expungement process statewide, and AB 1331, a bill that would expand California’s collection of criminal justice system data.
  
• STP Operational Program Manager of Reaching Out Productions Entertainment on 1210 AM - KPRZ, San Diego's Number One Christian Talk and Teach Radio. Station, AM 1210, San Diego, CA. 2019.
• STP Field Producer of The Millennial Journal Spectrum Cable Communication Show, 2019.
• STP Mentee Dr. Luis Garcia was the first commencement speaker from the STP mentorship program. . On May 23, 2019, he was the commencement speaker at Rio Hondo College, Whitter, CA.
• STP Mentee second generation Desirae M. Jones, graduated summa cum laude from Abilene Christian University, Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science on May 12, 2018.
• STP Mentee Terrance Stewart, M.Ed., National Father of Year by Fathers and Family Coalition of America 19th Annual National Father and Families Conference 2017.
• STP Mentee Luis Garcia first Mentee to earn his Ph.D. He graduated from Loyola Marymount Graduate School earning an Ed.D Doctor of Educational leadership for social justice on May 7, 2017.
• STP Mentee Jamia Tillman graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School, with Distinction on June 2016.
• STP Mentee Desirae Wilson graduated from Centennial High School, Corona, with High Honors. On June 2016.
• STP Mentee Darren Wilson graduated from Centennial High School, Corona, with High Honors. On June 2016.
• STP Fathers and Family Coalition of America 18th National Conference workshop TITLE: DO NOT BELIEVE THE MYTH ABOUT FORMALLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIES DESCRIPTION on February 26, 2017.
• STP, Human Impact Partners, completed a year study and research of Healthy and Safe Riverside County: Investing in What Works, 2017.
• STP and other organizations teamed up with Cultural Competence in Disaster Mental Health Programs: Guiding Principles and Recommendations for the riverside county 2017.
• STP Member of H.E.A.T. (Hiring, Equipment, Accountability, Training) We met with the Riverside Police Chief Diaz , in partnership, to improve Minority Community-Police cooperation and safety, 2017. STP Mentee Terrance Stewart, He prides himself on his civic engagement work. to pass Ban the Box policies, California Safe Neighborhood, and School Act, AB953: The Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015, and the California Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016. This year, he leads a team of volunteers that registered over 3000 people in Riverside County to vote for the November election 2016.
• STP Mentee second generation Andrick Dosier, Speaker
• STP Mentee Sheena McDade Henderson, Graduated from The Eleanor Jean Grier Leadership Academy and was the Master of Ceremony of the class of 2017.
• STP 2015 & 2016 Quest for Democracy Advocacy Day Sacramento with All Of Us Or None movement and other organizations.
• STP Mentee second generation Andrick Dosier, Speaker being one of the youngest volunteer speaker on a panel, age 9 years old on April 17, 2016.
• STP partners with other organizations advocating for the passing of AB 2298: GANG DATABASES ACT (Accuracy, Consistency & Transparency) Assembly Member Shirley N. Weber (D – 79) September 28, 2016
• STP and The 2016 Formerly Incarcerated & Convicted People & Families Movement National Conference proved what is possible when we organize. Oakland, CA September 9 to 10, 2016, for two days of panels, workshops, strategy sessions, music, and networking. Phyllis McNeal STP was one of the conference photographer
• STP and our partners celebrated the historic signing of AB 953 into law—one of the strongest bills to address racial and identity profiling in the country. AB 953 (The Racial & Identity Profiling Act of 2015—by Assembly member Dr. Shirley Weber) helps to eliminate the repressive and ineffective practice of racial and identity profiling, and improves law enforcement transparency and accountability. Governor Brown signed AB 953 on Saturday, October 3, 2015.
• STP Mentee Sheena McDade Henderson, received her License in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2016.
• STP and Hundreds of formerly incarcerated people, their family, and community members embarked on their second journey to the State Capital. The 2014 Quest for Democracy is a quest for justice. The individuals and organizations represented support the following 11 bills and 1 Ballot Initiative because these bills will help reduce systemic inequalities and create stronger, safer, and healthier communities here in California, 2014.
• STP Mentee Terrance Stewart, M.Ed, graduated from the University of California, Riverside (UCR). In 2013, Terrance was awarded his bachelor's in Ethnic Studies; in 2015, he received his Master's in Higher Education: Policy and Administration.
• STP Mentee Terrance Stewart, M.Ed. The Terrance Stewart award at UCR is a prestigious award that recipient must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, participates in Club and Organizations on campus, and do service work in the community, 2014.
• STP appeared in the Inglewood and Hawthorne newspapers regarding an April 1 presentation at Inglewood High School. The school experiencing serious ongoing tensions between the African American and Latino students.
• STP 1994 to 2012, STP continues to work with community leaders and stake holders regarding the amendment of the “Three Strike Law” which passed during the election on November 6, 2012.
• Mentee Sheena McDade Henderson, graduated from Argosy University, received a Master in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2011.
• STP provides countless volunteer hours with other community organizations such as : All of Us or None ( Riverside, Bay Area and the Los Angeles Chapter), New Life Re-Entry, FACTS Against the Three Strikes, National Equal Justice of America, Save Our Sons, Legal Services for Prisoners with children, N-Action family Network, Fathers and Family Coalition of America, Loving Own Our Youth, , Mother’s in Charge Los Angeles, ,U Care Foundation, and Southern California churches.
• STP 2004 – present - STP works with other community organizations, churches, programs, agencies, and politicians on the Ban the Box Campaign.
• STP 2014 to 2015 –STP involvement with PROP 47 which PASSED in California! As of November 5, 2014, certain felonies may become misdemeanors.
• STP Voters registration in California: 2005 to Present STP works to get ex-offenders re-registered to vote.
• STP ADOPTED: (2004 to 2008) Dorsey High School for a period of 4 years by providing annual career fairs, after school tutoring, and student forums to discuss different topics during the 4 year period.
• STP Special Assignments to Reveal Illegal Acts by Businesses/ Business Owners” Since 1998 to present STP has collaborated with Joel Grover, Special Investigative Reporter to present from CBS Channel 2 News now currently with NBC Channel 4 News on a variety of special assignments to reveal illegal acts by businesses/ business owners mainly in the Los Angeles area.
• STP In 1998 to 2000, STP provides services to The L.A. Bridges Program by participating in numerous of STP presentations at the middle schools in the L.A. area and community forums.August 30, 2019
• STP Juvenile Impact Program: For a period of about four years the STP was involved working closely with the Juvenile Impact Program originally first implemented at the LAPD Central Police Station located in the Downtown Los Angeles area?
• STP is a consultant for the following organizations Save Our Sons Prison Ministry located in the Los Angeles area (for 21 years and ongoing) and National Equal Justice of America a civil rights organization office located in the city of Compton (for 25 years and ongoing).
• STP has a 24 hour Crisis Hot Line Phone Message where the public can call in with their problems and or concerns. STP has assisted over 175 callers to find solutions to their problems and has made hundreds of referrals to other community providers resolve to assist to solve their problems.
• STP works with the group homes: Boys Republic (Chino Hills), David Margaret Home (Upland, CA), Safe House (Riverside), Etie Lee Homes for Youth {San Bernardino communities}, and Diakonia Group Homes {Rialto, California}. STP conducts presentations to the residents to assist the youth in setting goals, obtaining life skills, to deal with their problems and to assist the residents on how to create an outcomes plan of actions to not let family dysfunction and current circumstances control the outcome of their journey.
• STP partners with All of Us or None (Riverside Chapter) and other organizations, in the ongoing the Annual August Back Pack Give Away at Riverside Castle Park Amusement Park. For seven years and gave away five hundred back packs, school supplies and free tickets to the park are distributed.
• STP Since 2005 to present STP continues to participate in the California Endowment Office in numerous seminars, conferences, meetings, and training events to receives ongoing upcoming information that assists STP in providing new treatment mythology trends, laws, procuress, initiates for upcoming elections for the services STP provides to the community.
• STP Youth and Adults Mentoring Program STP has a total of 46 Mentees, ( 12 of the Adults were youth when they entered into the program).
• STP Undergraduate and Graduate Internship Program: Since the inception of the STP the program has continued to work with interns from local the colleges and universities (USC, CSULA, CSUDH, CSULB, CSUSB, CSUF, Compton College, East L.A. College, San Bernardino Valley College, and Redlands.
• STP In a six-month study of 1,126 written evaluations of the Straight Talk Program, 87% rated the talks as excellent or helpful in assisting them reevaluate their lifestyles and redirect their choices. Of parents completing the same survey, 83% reported favorable observations of the programs’ impact on their children. Within the same group of youth and parents, 68% requested personalized services – with 37% of the requests originating from the youths.
• STP Record Expunging- STP provides ex-offenders with attorney-referral services, (pro bono and free expunging clinics) for the sealing of juvenile criminal arrest and convictions.
  August 30, 2019