When Eric Anderson was 15, he was sentenced to life in prison. He served nearly three decades for a crime he committed as a child, in a system that punished kids to die in jail — a system that was ultimately ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Now, Anderson is an advocate and restorative justice practitioner who uses his voice to transform the lives of others. His redirection was made possible with the help of organizations like the Juvenile Justice Initiative. On July 24, the Initiative celebrated 25 years of fighting for children, teens and young adults impacted by incarceration, while helping to give them a second chance.

I pitched and covered this story for ABC7 Chicago.