Jodi Anderson Jr.’s life story is one of sharp contrasts, hard lessons, and steady determination. From growing up in New Mexico and New York City, to becoming involved in the underground economy at a young age, to spending nearly a decade in prison, Jodi faced barriers that could have defined the rest of his life. Instead, he chose a different path, using education and persistence to build a future and help others do the same.
Early Days in Two Different Worlds
Jodi’s childhood was split between two very different places. One part of his childhood was spent living with his grandfather in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His grandfather was a Navy veteran who fought in the Korean War. He was a strict man who believed in discipline. He wanted Jodi to focus on school and helped Jodi to learn to love education.
But life changed quickly after his grandfather passed away from liver failure. At 8 years old, Jodi had to move back to New York City to live with his birth mother. Things were very hard for the family. They struggled with poverty and experienced housing instability. As a result, Jodi found himself moving between shelters and foster care often.
Entering the Underground Economy
When Jodi was just nine years old, his life took a turn. His foster brother recruited him to work in the underground economy. This was not a normal job and was no place for a nine year old. Jodi found himself moving money and drugs for gambling houses in Brooklyn. It was a way to help his family pay the bills and as a way to find belonging and respect from others in his new life.
During his time working, school was an anchor for Jodi. It was the one thing that always made a lot of sense to him. He liked that the more work he put in, the more he got out of education. He was so dedicated to getting to school that sometimes he stole cars early in the morning just to make sure he had a ride to class.
Experiences with the Justice System
When Jodi was about 14 years old, police raided his home. As a result, Jodi was arrested and sent to a juvenile detention center. Almost everyone from his 6th-grade class ended up in the same center that year. It was normal. For Jodi, this was the beginning of a decade inside the justice system.
Facing Adult Charges as a Teenager
Things became more serious when Jodi was 15. He was arrested, charged as an adult, and sentenced to serve two to seven years. The maximum-security juvenile facility where he served the beginning of this sentence was an intense place referred to by some as "Gladiator Camp." In that environment, young people focused on fighting and proving they were tough. By the time he was 19, Jodi was in a state prison for adults.
A Change in Perspective
When Jodi was 20 years old he was placed in solitary confinement. This was a major turning point for him. He was away from the negative influence from his fellow inmates and had a chance to think freely and clearly for the first time. Jodi realized that the people he looked up to in prison were limited in all sorts of ways because of their incarceration. He also realized that the life people led on the inside had a ceiling, and that he did not want to go any higher in that world. During his time in solitary, Jodi continued to read. He used brute force to learn new subjects, including trigonometry, and taught himself Mandarin and Spanish.
The Cornell Prison Education Program
Eventually, Jodi was transferred to Auburn Correctional Facility, commonly referred to as "The Jungle." There, he passed an entrance exam for the Cornell Prison Education Program. This was a huge step forward. As part of this program, Jodi joined a debate team inside the prison. Between debate and his stellar academic performance, Jodi left a unique impression on his professors and fellow incarcerated students.
Fighting for Freedom and Reentry
As his sentence continued, Jodi found a lot of support. Professors and fellow incarcerated individuals launched a campaign to help him get out of prison. Over 50 people on the outside and hundreds of people on the inside of the justice system sent letters on his behalf, explaining that he had the brains and drive to leave the system and do well in life, if he was given a chance. Jodi said that having the blessing of people he respected gave him the confidence to keep going.
Overcoming Doubt
Without appearing in person, Jodi was granted parole. However, leaving prison was not simple. Jodi intended to go to Cornell University and live with a professor who had been mentoring him, but he had to negotiate banked time to make sure his sentence was complete. Lots of red tape stood between Jodi and exiting prison, even after he’d been granted parole.
Despite these difficulties, Jodi was released on August 3, 2017. Initially, he had to stay in the county where his initial charges were filed. This was a huge problem, as this made it illegal for Jodi to live and attend Cornell. To comply with these conditions, Jodi set up an alternate plan to attend The University of Albany instead of Cornell. At the last second, however, the State approved Jodi’s move to Cornell. He got on a bus the night of his approval with $40, two cell phones, and a laptop, and headed off to further his education.
Getting an Education
Jodi got to Cornell too late to enroll in classes that semester. Instead, he started auditing classes and looking at his options. As he was exploring, he couldn’t shake the feeling that people at Cornell would always view him as a ‘charity case.’ Between that insight and his discovery of a transfer program, Jodi decided to take an entrance exam and transfer to Stanford.
The move to Stanford was not easy. Jodi had to use the discipline he’d developed to manage classes in both Mandarin and Political Economics. The Covid-19 pandemic hit during Jodi’s time at Stanford as well, which caused problems with his probation conditions. Despite these challenges, Jodi was extremely successful in college, and used his time to learn about systems and technology that could craft solutions to various problems.
Building a New Future
Today, Jodi is an entrepreneur. He works in technology and owns his own software company. One of the things Jodi had to contend with while trying to find work during Covid-19 were weaknesses in fair chance hiring laws, and the related barriers that his record created. Jodi used the things he learned from this experience to start his own technology company. He also distilled the lessons he learned into a few pieces of direct advice.
Using Technology for Good
During our interview, Jodi pointed out that we have apps for food and travel, and about everything else in the world that we want and need. Yet, there are a surprisingly low number of apps designed to help people navigate life during and after involvement with the legal system.
Leveraging this insight, along with his education and network at Stanford, Jodi created Rezme. Rezme is a company that helps job applicants and employers navigate the Fair Chance Hiring process. This service helps job applicants explain their criminal record, and helps employers understand what they can and cannot consider when hiring somebody. Not only does this make the process smoother for Rezme users, but it also improves outcomes for people with criminal records.
Jodi’s Advice
Jodi points out many of the issues caused by a criminal record are tied up in larger systems. He had a host of examples, from weaknesses in Fair Chance Hiring laws to times where potential investors in Rezme balked at his background check results. While companies like Rezme make these systems easier to navigate, there are things people can do as individuals that make a big difference as well.
One piece of advice that Jodi had for other formerly incarcerated people was to put your head down and "Pay the tax. Even though it’s unfair, we must work harder to overcome the difficulties created by our past.” Part of this hard work is getting an education, working multiple jobs, and building strong networks. In Jodi’s words, “People with records have to become so good that they become undeniable.”
Jodi’s story shows that the past does not have to decide a person’s future. He faced a myriad of difficulties, yet he chose to pursue education and help others obtain better lives. We’re glad we had the chance to sit down with Jodi, and we can’t wait to see him continue to develop and grow his impact at Rezme. When some people get a real chance, they choose to use it to open doors for others behind them. And while we love so many things about Jodi and his story, that’s one of the things we admire about him the most.
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This story is part of our #1in3 campaign, a project to end the stigma and raise awareness of how common it is to have a criminal record.
1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record, which is a lot more common than people think. No one expects to be involved in the justice system, but it can happen to anyone. People of all ages, backgrounds, genders, and income-levels are involved in the justice system. Their pathways vary, but the barriers of a record affect them all. Our hope is that by sharing their portraits and telling their stories, we can change the way people think about people with records and appreciate them for all they have overcome.