Mia marciano
Class of 2027Boca Raton, Florida
About
Hello! My name is Mia Marciano, and my project is on raising awareness about the challenges people face when reentering society after incarceration. I chose to work on this project because I am passionate about advocating for fairness, education, and second chances, and I wanted to create a platform that humanizes the experiences of people on parole. Through my blog and podcast, *From Bars to Bridges*, I aim to educate the public, challenge stigma, and highlight the systemic barriers that make reintegration so difficult. After my project is complete, I would like to continue expanding this platform by publishing more blogs, releasing additional podcast episodes, and using my voice to inspire empathy and change within my community.Projects
- "How do systemic barriers in the parole and reentry process—such as supervision requirements, limited access to jobs, education, and mental health or substance-abuse support—affect a person’s ability to successfully reintegrate into society after incarceration?" with mentor Miranda (Dec. 7, 2025)
Project Portfolio
How do systemic barriers in the parole and reentry process—such as supervision requirements, limited access to jobs, education, and mental health or substance-abuse support—affect a person’s ability to successfully reintegrate into society after incarceration?
Started Dec. 23, 2024
Abstract or project description
Hi! My name is Mia Marciano, and I’m in 11th grade. I’m very excited to present the project I’ve completed one that I will continue expanding as part of my ongoing commitment to advocacy and public education. For this project, I created a multi-format investigative series designed to raise awareness about the profound and often invisible challenges people face when reentering society after incarceration. This work is grounded in the mission of my youth-led initiative, From Bars to Bridges, which aims to confront the stigma surrounding parole and to educate the public about the ways our systems and communities often make reintegration far more difficult than it should be. Although society claims to support second chances, many individuals returning home encounter barriers that feel almost engineered for failure: restrictive parole conditions, limited access to employment and education, inconsistent mental-health and substance-abuse support, and the emotional strain of trying to rebuild a life under constant judgment and surveillance.
To bring these realities to light, I produced a podcast, now streaming on Spotify, where I blend interviews with parole officers, mental-health professionals, employers, advocates, and formerly incarcerated individuals with my own research into the systems that shape their experiences. Alongside the podcast, I run an educational blog through From Bars to Bridges, where I publish accessible, research-based posts that explain the challenges of reentry and share stories from those directly impacted. My goal is to humanize the people behind the statistics, highlight the realities of reentry, and challenge the societal expectation that people on parole will fail. Through storytelling, education, and advocacy, I strive to expose the barriers that keep individuals trapped in cycles of incarceration and elevate voices that deserve to be heard. I will continue building this platform because I believe that by listening to lived experience and sharing it widely, we can help create a future where reintegration is met with empathy, opportunity, and a real chance at success.