Sam Lewis (community activist)


Sam Lewis is a Los Angeles-based community activist and Executive Director of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.

Biography

Lewis grew up in Los Angeles and attended seven different schools in seven different neighborhoods. At age 16, he dropped out of school and became heavily involved in gang activity, behavior that led to a life sentence at the age of 18. During his incarceration, Lewis was denied parole 8 times and served 24 years in various prisons throughout California. Since being granted parole, in 2012, Lewis received his BS/BA degree from Indiana Institute of Technology, magna cum laude, having completed the majority of this degree while incarcerated. Lewis is an advocate for prison reform and serves on Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti's Blue Ribbon Commission on Employment Equity.
In July 2019, Lewis became the leader of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, the organization founded by Scott Budnick. Lewis had previously served as ARC's Director of Inside Programs. Previously, Lewis created ARC's Hope and Redemption Team, a unit made up of former life prisoners who offer programming in California prisons to provide inmates with skills they will need to successfully re-enter civil society.

Awards

Lewis has been the recipient of a Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award, an Uncommon Law Uncommon Heroes award, and the DangerMan Hero award for Outstanding Advocate for Prison Reform.