By Olivia Balog
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Every fall for the past six years, Lorig Charkoudian goes for a run – a 70-mile run from Hagerstown to Baltimore.
The 46-year-old Takoma Park resident and Maryland delegate says she makes the two-day journey to symbolize the struggles that ex-offenders face when trying to rejoin society.
Charkoudian ran from the prisons in Hagerstown along U.S. 40 to the Community Mediation program in Baltimore, where she was joined on and off again by mediators, other elected officials and some citizens in support. The event occurred on Oct. 12 and 13.
“Most of the training is mental preparation to keep myself going and reminding myself what I am running for,” Charkoudian said about training for the 70-mile run. “I run for all of those who are coming out of incarceration and trying to get their second chance at life.”
Charkoudian, the executive director of Community Mediation Maryland in Takoma Park, has participated in the Run for Re-Entry for six years and has logged 420 miles.
Many people continue to support and cheer her on during her run, including Maryland delegate Ken Kerr.
“Running over 70 miles over the span of two days is a remarkable feat,” Kerr said. “A state delegate taking her time to accomplish this brings much needed attention to justice reform.”
While Charkoudian ran through his district 3B, Frederick County, Kerr said he came out to support her and her cause along with Congressman Jamie Raskin. They cheered her on from the sidewalk and stopped for some photos.
UMBC student Eric Bustamante was there to support her at the finish line in Baltimore.
“She ran more than what marathon runners run in just two days,” Bustamante said. “She inspires so many to never give up, no matter how hard it may seem. Her message is something I will always stand behind for not just myself but for my friends and family out there too.”
Bustamante said he and some friends created posters to hold up for Charkoudian as her run came to an end.
Charkoudian refers to the run as a metaphor. While the run itself is challenging and difficult, she said it does not compare to what the formerly incarcerated face when they try to rejoin society.
“One of the most important things is maintaining relationships,” the Montgomery County Democrat said on why it is so difficult for ex-convicts to reconnect. “While they are incarcerated, they must uphold relationships so that they can have somewhere to start when they get out.”
When relationships are maintained in prison, she said, there are significantly less re-entries to prison. She said it is important to her to dismantle mass incarceration and bring awareness to criminal justice reform because people deserve a second chance after serving their time for the crime.
Kerr said there are 36,000 Maryland residents behind bars. State statistics show that three out of four go back to prison after being released within just five years.
“Re-entering offenders find themselves homeless and without healthcare,” Kerr said. “They have a 60-75 percent unemployment rate, and those with substance abuse problems relapse at a rate of 75 percent. Having a pre-release program that supports these men and women greatly reduces the likelihood of them re-offending and returning to prison.”
Charkoudian said that women especially struggle with equity in re-entry programs. She said that since there are fewer women in prisons than men, there is even less demand for women to have programs put in place to help them rejoin society.
As the Community Leadership Award Winner of 2017, Charkoudian said she is determined to help all citizens come out of incarceration and receive a fair shot at life. She understands the struggle that these men and women face coming out of prisons. She said she is working to fix some of the problems ex-convicts face, such as not being able to get a house, job, insurance, and voting and education rights.
“My goal is to protect Maryland residents from federal policies currently in place that are preventing us from moving forward,” Charkoudian said. “One way is by reforming the criminal justice system to end mass incarceration for time consuming non-violent crimes and instead focus on mediation and treatment.”
As a former member of the Frederick County Board of Education, Kerr said he has shown his support for criminal justice reform by focusing on professional development of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Focusing on child behavior, especially in schools, can help lower the number of incarcerated people.
“Our first goal should be to keep someone from going to prison,” Kerr said. “Our second goal needs to be to make sure they don’t return.”
Charkoudian said many ex-convicts find it impossible to get a job. Every job application requires a small box that asks if they have a criminal record. When ex-convicts check off the “yes” box, most employers will see it and immediately dismiss the candidate for the job, she said.
She has helped push the Ban-the-Box law in Maryland, which legally requires an employer to give an interview first before getting a background check or seeing if a candidate has a criminal record. The measure is designed to prevent bias and give ex-convicts a real shot at getting a job.
“Even after people have served their time for non-violent crimes, they continue to face barriers for the rest of their lives,” Charkoudian said. “My run is only challenging for two days, then it’s over. These people are affected by their mistakes forever.”