Our Mission & Staff
Hand2HeartDC empowers justice-involved individuals through creative educational experiences, curated opportunities, the cultivation of personal and professional growth, and the convening of community.
Hand2HeartDC empowers justice-involved individuals through creative educational experiences, curated opportunities, the cultivation of personal and professional growth, and the convening of community.
Dr. Amy Lopez has over 35 years’ experience in the provision of college and career-readiness instruction and opportunities to students in the public school, correctional education, and post-release program settings. Dr. Lopez began her career as a public-school teacher and then administrator in Texas, her home state. She found her way into correctional education as the Superintendent of Education for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and was later recruited to initiate education reforms for individuals in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Dr. Lopez was an Obama-era appointee, selected to build a school district within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. As a mayoral appointee, Dr. Lopez then served as the Deputy Director of College and Career Readiness for the DC Department of Corrections where she designed and implemented innovative academic and workforce development programs for incarcerated students and a post-release employment program for justice-involved individuals returning to the community. She is a graduate of Texas Tech University, earned her M.Ed. from Lubbock Christian University, and her doctoral degree from Sam Houston State University. She currently performs consulting services for correctional systems, organizations, and universities providing and/or building workforce development programs for incarcerated individuals and returning citizens as the Chief Executive Officer of Past the Edges Consulting LLC
Paul Taylor is a native Washingtonian. He was born and raised in the Southwest quadrant of the District. He attended Syphax, Amidon, Anthony Bowen Elementary, Jefferson Jr. High and Wilson High School. He has worked at the DC Department of Correction under the College and Career Readiness Division as a Program Specialist where he spearheaded a Cognitive Thinking Course called “Thinking for a Change.” At the DC DOC, Paul had his footprint in all aspects of the agency from recruiting, inspiring, mentoring, enlightening and encouraging residents about the importance of taking advantage of the innovative programs being offered at the Jail. During FY18, 11,000 inmates were served by the programs in Paul’s division. Before joining the DC DOC, Paul was the Site-Lead at King Greenleaf Recreation Center which he helped to transform into one of the most utilized and productive Centers in the city. Not so long ago the Center was underutilized and located in a high crime-ridden area of the District. However, with innovative programming and partnerships with such organizations as Sasha Bruce, Roving Leaders, and local law enforcement (The First Police District), this recreation center is now a safe haven for youth and has evolved into a modern marvel. Paul believes that all youth deserve a right to have a local outlet to go to and exercise with leisure, just as he did coming up as a youth at the #4 Boys/Girls Club and the old King-Greenleaf Recreation Center. Because of his beliefs, Paul is the founder and Executive Director of the Southwest Comm-Unity Forum (SWCF), a nonprofit organization that provides an array of mentoring, educational, and recreational activities for SW youth. Since its inception in 2007, Paul has organized the Summer in Lansburgh Park which is a Community Event designed to bring the entire Southwest Community together. During this event, the young and elderly in the community come together and experience the rich culture and diversity in the region to enjoy music, free food, entertainment, health screening, amusement rides for children, and to socialize. Paul is a justice-involved individual who consistently pays forward opportunities for returning citizens and their families.
Borden Barrows has been blessed with a diverse business career. In 1986, he founded and eventually sold a successful marketing firm. During this time, he worked with some of the leading direct marketers and mailers in the field, including Time Inc, AIG Insurance, Revlon, and Citibank. While business success has come easily to Mr. Barrows, he has certainly made mistakes and in 2010 was sentenced to Federal Prison. It was there, working in the education department assisting other inmates that he found what would become his passion. Mr. Barrows first worked for Dr. Lopez at the DC Department of Corrections in 2018 on the Inside Scoop Program, a newsletter by and for the residents of the facility. In 2021, he joined the DOC full-time as Special Projects Coordinator for the LEAD-Up and LEAD-Out programs which prepare and support returning citizens with the reentry process six months before and after their release, respectively. In that capacity, Mr. Barrows worked as a program facilitator in the LEAD-Out program, working with participants on everything ranging from Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) assistance to basic digital literacy programs. Additionally, he assisted in developing programming for residents inside the facility, including restarting 12-step meetings. With his experience, Mr. Barrows is uniquely qualified and deeply dedicated to helping justice-impacted individuals thrive following reentry.
Give us a shout to discuss volunteer opportunities, ideas for programming, mentoring…whatever you’d like to chat about. We’d love to hear from you!
