Category Archives: ezwwaters

How to Mentor Teens Effectively

Posted on November 8, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

When I worked in child welfare more than 20 years ago, my supervisor would assign to me what she thought of as the toughest “cases,” i.e., teenagers, and cases where the child ended up in the system because of an … Continue reading →

Posted in juveniles, ezwwaters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I Know Why the Caged Poet Sings

Posted on October 23, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Some of my favorite poets happen to be named William – William Shakespeare, William Blake, William Wordsworth, and William Carlos Williams. When I meet most people, I often ask them what their names mean or the backstory of their names. … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, crime, ezwwaters, Growing Up, Justice Chronicles, juveniles, NYPD, race, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Streets of Rage, Urban Impact | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blacklight

Posted on October 1, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

I turn on the Blacklight, And look under America’s skin, Peeling away layers, Exposed is her skin disease, Her obsession with race, Her legacy of Slavery and Segregation – Those peculiar institutions!             The auction block, like a butcher’s block…. … Continue reading →

Posted in being a teenager, Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, ezwwaters, race, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Streets of Rage | Leave a comment

Celebrating 65 Years of Life

Posted on October 1, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

I saw the best minds of my generation drop out of school and get their education on the streets, in the schools of hard knocks: in group homes, reform schools, jails, reformatories, insane asylums, and prisons. They dropped out of … Continue reading →

Posted in being a teenager, Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, ezwwaters, Politics, race, raising black boys, Streets of Rage | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Teaching” Alice Walker

Posted on September 17, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In preparation for a lecture in the course I teach, African American Literature in the 20th Century, I am re-reading excerpts from Alice Walker’s In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose. In her prose, Walker makes nearly perfect sense. … Continue reading →

Posted in crime, ezwwaters, Justice Chronicles, Lest We Forget, Politics, race, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Streets of Rage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Strategies for Effective Advocacy in Criminal Justice Reform

Posted on September 15, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The four-part series on a successful advocacy campaign led by formerly incarcerated people, and the accompanying research blogs, in one place. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, ezwwaters, Justice Chronicles, Life Sentences, Murder, Osborne Association, Parole, parole board, Politics, Reentry | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Leadership Mini-Series: Joseph, Ethics, and Leading with Conviction – The Leadership Challenge of Remembering

Posted on September 14, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Joseph exemplifies leadership through integrity and resilience, even in his imprisonment. Kouzes and Posner emphasize the importance of modeling and inspiring vision. Joseph’s story serves as a reminder that leadership involves community memory and recognition of others’ strengths, prompting reflection on how leaders ensure their followers are acknowledged. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, ezwwaters, Justice Chronicles, Leadership, Reentry, Religion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Leadership Mini-Series: Joseph, Ethics, and Leading with Conviction – Joseph, Cupbearers, and Ethical Memory

Posted on September 7, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

This series explores the intersections of biblical wisdom (Joseph and the cupbearer), ethical leadership, and modern research on justice-centered leadership. Continue reading →

Posted in ezwwaters, Justice Chronicles, Parole, Reentry, Relationships, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Participatory Research: A How‑To Blueprint

Posted on September 2, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

A practical guide to co‑designing, conducting, and deploying participatory research in criminal legal system advocacy—grounded in the 2025 white paper on incorporating lived expertise. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, Education, ezwwaters, Justice Chronicles, Life Sentences, Parole, parole board, Reentry | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Participatory Research: A How‑To Blueprint

Research as Resistance: Building Knowledge Together in the Fight for Parole Justice

Posted on August 31, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

A personal teaser for our participatory research installment—from early John Jay studies to peer‑reviewed scholarship and today’s lived‑expertise framework. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, ezwwaters, Justice Chronicles, Parole, Reentry | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Research as Resistance: Building Knowledge Together in the Fight for Parole Justice