Emancipate NC is proud to celebrate the recognition of Team Emancipate member Kerwin Pittman, whose innovative work to support people returning home after incarceration was recently highlighted by First Lady of North Carolina, Anna Stein.
In a recent statement, First Lady Stein underscored the importance of addressing the practical barriers that many people face after incarceration:
“Job skills, transportation, and housing are each essential for reentering society post-incarceration. Kerwin Pittman, the founder and executive director of Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services, Inc. (RREPS) and a formerly incarcerated man, recently purchased Wayne Correctional Center, a decommissioned prison in Goldsboro. He’s turning it into a Recidivism Reduction Campus, which will offer workforce training, education support, and housing to improve reentry outcomes and help create safer communities. I enjoyed seeing his vision begin to take shape.”
As the founder of Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services, Inc. (RREPS), Kerwin has long been committed to creating pathways for successful reentry. His latest endeavor—the transformation of the former Wayne Correctional Center into a comprehensive Recidivism Reduction Campus—represents a bold investment in second chances and community safety.
The campus is designed to address some of the most significant challenges facing people returning from incarceration by providing stable housing, workforce development opportunities, educational support, and other critical resources under one roof. By turning a former prison into a place of opportunity and growth, Kerwin is helping reimagine what reentry can look like in North Carolina.
At Emancipate NC, we are honored to work alongside leaders like Kerwin whose lived experience, vision, and determination continue to drive meaningful change for impacted communities across our state. We look forward to seeing this transformative project continue to take shape and create new opportunities for generations to come.