Outdoor activities, if done for prolonged periods without adequate ultraviolet (UV) protection, can accelerate eye conditions like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Eye/eyelid cancers are other solar radiation risks of unprotected outdoor time. 

You’d want to implement the above UV vision protection strategies more than ever, as the number of days with high ultraviolet index values is on the rise. The World Meteorological Organization notes that measurements show a significant uptick in the number of days with high UV indices over the past decades.

What Are Some Common Eye Conditions? 

Refractive errors are among the most common eye conditions that result from the eyes being unable to bend (refract) light correctly. They can occur due to certain physical traits, including:

• The eyeball either being too short or too long
• The cornea’s shape either being too flat or too steep
• The flexibility of the lens inside the eye changing as a result of getting older (e.g., the lens becomes stiff due to advancing age) 

Refractive errors are so common they impact over 150 million people in the U.S., per the NEI (National Eye Institute). Some have nearsightedness, also called myopia, while others have farsightedness, also known as hyperopia. In older people, presbyopia, which makes close-up things look blurry, is also prevalent.

Astigmatism is another common refractive error that causes blurriness with both near and far vision. It results from the eyes having an irregular shape (egg or oval shape instead of round). Some people may also have this alongside another refractive error. 

What Are the Signs of Serious Eye Problems? 

Never underestimate signs of eye problems because if left unaddressed, they can lead to vision impairment or vision loss. Some symptoms should even prompt you to get immediate professional help, as they may indicate emergency sight-threatening conditions.

If you, a family member, or a friend ever experiences any of the following, please seek the help of an emergency optometrist, ophthalmologist, or eye hospital right away. 

• Partial or total loss of sight
• Sudden double vision
• A dark curtain, veil, or shadow that moves across the vision
• A sudden, unexplained increase in eye floaters and flashes
• Intense pain in and around the eyes
• Severe redness and inflammation
• Extreme light sensitivity
• Physical trauma to the eyes, particularly deep punctures, cuts, or chemical splashes

What Chronic Eye Conditions Can Unprotected Outdoor UV Exposure Cause or Accelerate? 

Spending time in nature doing outdoor activities has become more popular among folks in the U.S., with participation rates increasing over the years.

A new report from the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), for instance, shows that in 2025, 183.2 million Americans got outside. It represents nearly six in ten people aged 6 and older and reflects an increase of 30 million from 2019’s total participants. 

Nature time and outdoor activities have undeniable health benefits, from lowering stress to supporting better heart health. They can, however, still pose safety risks, particularly if people ignore basic precautions, such as those for outdoor lens safety, skin protection, and dehydration prevention. 

Without proper preparation and long-term ocular protection, your eyes can take a hit from UV overexposure, as this can increase the risk of or accelerate the following eye conditions.   

Cataracts 

Prolonged or consistent exposure to UV rays without any protection can trigger oxidative stress in the eyes. Over time, the sun’s UV light can damage the protein inside your eyes’ lenses. The damage breaks down the proteins and causes them to clump up and form cataracts.

Cataracts are highly common, with the risk increasing with age. The longer they go untreated, the more vision loss they can cause and may even lead to blindness. 

Age-Related Macular Degeneration 

The oxidative stress caused by unprotected UV exposure can contribute to the development or acceleration of AMD. It’s a progressive disease that damages the eyes’ macula (central part of the retina at the back of the eye), blurring central, straight-ahead vision.

Developing AMD can put you at risk of experiencing difficulty:

• Reading
• Recognizing faces
• Driving
• Completing focus tasks

Eye/Eyelid Cancers 

Prolonged exposure to the sun’s potent UV rays can harm the sensitive areas of the eyes, including the delicate tissues in and around the eyelids. In some cases, this damage can trigger the development of certain cancers. 

How to Safeguard Your Vision From Harmful UV Rays 

Making it a habit to wear sunglasses whose label states “100% UV protection” or “UV400” should be one of your top priorities to protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays. If you’re not keen on having to switch from prescription specs to sunglasses, don’t worry, as you can get specialty glasses.

You can, for example, fit stylish designer pieces, whether it’s Gucci, Prada, or Versace eyeglasses, with prescription sun care, UV-protective tinted lenses. There are also photochromic (transition) lenses that automatically darken when exposed to UV. 

Wear a wide-brimmed hat to maximize sun protection, too. It can safeguard not just your eyes but also your face and even neck from direct sunlight. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Reverse UV-Related Eye Conditions? 

Some UV-related eye conditions are reversible, such as eye dryness and surface irritation caused by an isolated incident of overexposure to the sun’s rays. Another is photokeratitis, which is similar to a sunburn, except it affects the eyes. 

Resting (moving to a dimmer area) and applying cool, damp compresses to the eyes can help relieve these conditions’ temporary symptoms. 

Many other UV-related eye conditions, however, are chronic or permanent. Cataracts and AMD, for instance, are non-reversible. They are, however, treatable. There’s surgery for cataracts, while AMD’s management often involves injections or laser therapies.

What Is the Most Common Degenerative Eye Disease? 

AMD is the most common degenerative eye disease. 

The latest statistics cited by the American Macular Degeneration Foundation put the number of Americans 40 years and older diagnosed with some form of macular degeneration at 20 million. It further notes that close to 1.5 million people have late-stage, vision-threatening AMD. 

Don’t Let UV Rays Ruin Your Eyesight

UV radiation can contribute to or accelerate various eye conditions, some of which could be permanent, such as cataracts and AMD. It should be enough reason for you to always wear sunglasses with a UV400 or 100% UV protection rating. 

Find more health and lifestyle guides or the latest events and news impacting the Black community by checking out the rest of our platform. 

Copyright: c.2026, Publisher: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, SRP: $29.95, Page Count: 338 pages

Four weeks of testing, and you’re exhausted.

Two gallons of blood, maybe three, have been removed. No lie. You’ve laid on tables, slid through machines, been scanned so much you lost count and finally, your doctors have a diagnosis. As in the new book “Curved Air” by Kevin Davies, you have hope there’s a what next?

Though the disease was known in parts of Africa and likely existed here in the United States for hundreds of years, sickle cell disease (SCD) is a relative newcomer in disease research.

Says Davies, “Sickle cell was first identified more than 120 years ago” and it was considered as a “Black disease.” Because of that, discrimination followed “sickle cell warriors” and research was scant, though white people can and do get SCD.

With “agonizing” pain as a major symptom, “SCD is one of roughly seven thousand genetic diseases” currently known to science. When someone has SCD, a genetic mutation causes their red blood cells to curve and get stuck in blood vessels, rather than flowing freely as they should. This diminishes the oxygen supply “to various parts of the body… which causes inflammation and pain,” jaundice, stroke, and damaged organs. Anemia, Davies says, can leave a patient fatigued and short of breath. Anticipating pain crises causes anxiety and PTSD.

Says Davies, “More than forty million people carry” one copy of the genetic mutation that causes SCD, and “five hundred thousand affected” babies are born with the disease per year, worldwide.

Over decades, research was done haphazardly. Papers were written; treatments were tried, used, or discarded. Doctors discovered that genetic testing could prevent new cases, a heartbreak for would-be parents. Researchers discovered that “a perfect storm” of confluence spread SCD: malaria, human population, and mosquitoes.

There was always hope that someday, sickle cell disease might be cured.

Then, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) gene-editing therapy was approved by the FDA, and a brave volunteer named Victoria Gray stepped forward…

So, you want to – need to – learn more about sickle cell disease? Is it imperative for you? Then, this is your book. But there are things you’ll want to know before you dive into “Curved Air.”

Because author Kevin Davies is the editor of The CRISPR Journal, you can expect up-to-date, cutting-edge information; but that’s a two-sided coin: the information is heavy-duty, not always easy to grasp, and it’s burdened by acronyms that can be overwhelming. Yes, that’ll inform you, but it may also send you elsewhere for further understanding, which really should’ve come from this book.

And yet, if you or someone you love has SCD, this is your book. It explains where the disease came from, why it hasn’t been completely cured yet, and what kind of hope you can hold. It’s a good start on a path to comprehension.

Also, be aware that the narrative here is sometimes padded with journalistic fluff that might annoy you if you’re eager to get to the science. Indeed, “Curved Air” will teach you. Then again, it also might test you.

By Dr. Robert Winn

American Cancer Society board member Dr. Robert Winn discusses risk factors for the disease and why too many Black men still aren’t getting screened

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and as both a Black man and a cancer center director, I know many men in our community think it’s bad luck to talk about cancer. But I’m here to tell you it’s bad luck not to talk about it.

We, Black men in the U.S., are nearly 70% more likely than White men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. We’re also twice as likely to die from the disease.

But I’m telling you, if you’re diagnosed early, you can still enjoy a long, happy life doing the things you love, whether that’s playing with grandkids or staying active in your community. That’s because although it can become a serious illness, most men diagnosed with prostate cancer won’t die from it.

In fact, more than 3.5 million U.S. men who’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive today. And when it’s diagnosed early, you boost your odds of survival. It’s that simple.

Generally, prostate cancer is most likely to develop after age 50, but when it develops in Black men, they tend to be younger. That means we need to be on the ball about understanding our personal risk. The risk factors include a family history of prostate cancer and certain genetic health risks that come from a parent.

When it comes to family medical history, we need to get a lot better at talking. For me, it turned out I had uncles who’d died from prostate and other cancers, but I didn’t always know that, so I couldn’t use that information to help me make smarter screening choices.

The American Cancer Society recommends that African American men speak with their doctor at age 45 about whether prostate cancer screening is right for them. Men at even higher risk should have that discussion at age 40, especially those with one or more close relatives who were diagnosed at an early age.

Look, I get that no one looks forward to a screening, but it typically starts with just a simple blood test, called a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA.

Even if you end up needing a digital rectal exam, it takes less than a minute and could save your life. So, what I say to people is, what’s the price of your life? Isn’t it worth a minute of being uncomfortable?

Brothers, this is essential for you to know: just because you’re feeling good doesn’t mean you don’t have early-stage prostate cancer. By the time you start to actually experience symptoms, the disease could be at an advanced stage and might be harder to treat.”

Prostate cancer is significantly impacting our fathers, our brothers, and our sons. That’s why the American Cancer Society is working with health systems and professionals in your community to help remove barriers in the fight against the disease.

We can help you find low-cost or free screening locations. And for men who need cancer treatment, the American Cancer Society can reduce the financial burden of traveling to medical appointments by providing free rides and, if you live far away from where you receive treatment, a free place to stay.

When it comes to prostate cancer screening, one size doesn’t fit all. So, it’s important for all men – and especially Black men – to talk to their doctor about what’s best for them based on their age, risk, and health history. Please make that appointment, because we don’t want you to risk missing out on the best years of your life.

For more information, call the American Cancer Society’s 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

Dr. Robert Winn is a nationally recognized physician-scientist and researcher. He currently serves as cancer center director at Temple Health’s Fox Chase Cancer Center. Since 2021, he has served on the board of directors for the American Cancer Society, a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

American Cancer Society board member Dr. Robert Winn discusses risk factors for the disease and why too many Black men still aren’t getting screened

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and as both a Black man and a cancer center director, I know many men in our community think it’s bad luck to talk about cancer. But I’m here to tell you it’s bad luck not to talk about it.

We, Black men in the U.S., are nearly 70% more likely than White men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. We’re also twice as likely to die from the disease.

But I’m telling you, if you’re diagnosed early, you can still enjoy a long, happy life doing the things you love, whether that’s playing with grandkids or staying active in your community. That’s because although it can become a serious illness, most men diagnosed with prostate cancer won’t die from it.

In fact, more than 3.5 million U.S. men who’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive today. And when it’s diagnosed early, you boost your odds of survival. It’s that simple.

Generally, prostate cancer is most likely to develop after age 50, but when it develops in Black men, they tend to be younger. That means we need to be on the ball about understanding our personal risk. The risk factors include a family history of prostate cancer and certain genetic health risks that come from a parent.

When it comes to family medical history, we need to get a lot better at talking. For me, it turned out I had uncles who’d died from prostate and other cancers, but I didn’t always know that, so I couldn’t use that information to help me make smarter screening choices.

The American Cancer Society recommends that African American men speak with their doctor at age 45 about whether prostate cancer screening is right for them. Men at even higher risk should have that discussion at age 40, especially those with one or more close relatives who were diagnosed at an early age.

Look, I get that no one looks forward to a screening, but it typically starts with just a simple blood test, called a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA.

Even if you end up needing a digital rectal exam, it takes less than a minute and could save your life. So, what I say to people is, what’s the price of your life? Isn’t it worth a minute of being uncomfortable?

Brothers, this is essential for you to know: just because you’re feeling good doesn’t mean you don’t have early-stage prostate cancer. By the time you start to actually experience symptoms, the disease could be at an advanced stage and might be harder to treat.”

Prostate cancer is significantly impacting our fathers, our brothers, and our sons. That’s why the American Cancer Society is working with health systems and professionals in your community to help remove barriers in the fight against the disease.

We can help you find low-cost or free screening locations. And for men who need cancer treatment, the American Cancer Society can reduce the financial burden of traveling to medical appointments by providing free rides and, if you live far away from where you receive treatment, a free place to stay.

When it comes to prostate cancer screening, one size doesn’t fit all. So, it’s important for all men – and especially Black men – to talk to their doctor about what’s best for them based on their age, risk, and health history. Please make that appointment, because we don’t want you to risk missing out on the best years of your life.

For more information, call the American Cancer Society’s 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

Dr. Robert Winn is a nationally recognized physician-scientist and researcher. He currently serves as cancer center director at Temple Health’s Fox Chase Cancer Center. Since 2021, he has served on the board of directors for the American Cancer Society, a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

The upcoming race for the Texas Attorney General seat in the midterm elections will be slightly different from previous election cycles. For nearly three decades, Republicans have controlled the attorney general’s office. And for the first time in more than a decade, Texans will elect an attorney general who is not Ken Paxton.

The role comes with a salary of $153,750.

Paxton, who has held the office since 2015 and was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 on corruption-related charges before being acquitted in a Senate trial, is not seeking reelection, leaving an open seat that pits Republican State Senator Mayes Middleton against Democratic State Senator Nathan Johnson. Libertarian Tom Oxford and Omer Khwaja (independent) are also running.

In a sit-down interview with the Defender, Johnson explained his campaign priorities. Middleton’s campaign team did not respond to the Defender’s request for an interview for this article.

Q & A with Johnson

Middleton casts himself as the natural successor to a conservative office, while Johnson argues that the office itself has been eroded and needs to be restored, regardless of who wins in November.

“The office has lost the trust of the people,” Johnson said in an interview. “It’s partly due to recent scandals with Ken Paxton…it’s been a systematic loss of trust dating back probably before Ken Paxton… People expect the Attorney General’s office to be a productive place. It’s there to protect them from federal overreach, corruption in politics, and abuse in the commercial sector. All of those things have been sidelined.”

Johnson has represented Senate District 16 since 2019. A lawyer with a physics degree from the University of Arizona and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, he has worked as a litigator and mediator.

The Democratic nominee argues his legal background shapes how he views the attorney general’s job. His career choices have spanned the Texas Capitol and music studios. The lawmaker’s résumé also includes composing music for “Dragon Ball Z.”

What are his plans?

Stating plans for the office if elected, Johnson said he expects to sue federal government agencies if they violate the Administrative Procedure Act or overstep constitutional bounds, citing, as one example, the administration’s withholding of federal education funding appropriated for Texas schools, which other states’ Democratic attorneys general have already challenged in court.

Asked to back up his campaign priorities in healthcare and the electric grid, Johnson pointed to Senate Bill 1296, a 2021 measure Johnson authored. It asked for a review of the insurance plans offered to Texans through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace to reduce net premiums and make health insurance more affordable for uninsured residents.

Having served on the Business and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), Johnson has filed legislation on the electrical grid load growth. Pointing to the grid, he noted a dearth of steel and transformers needed to keep it running.

He also plans to review the Texas consumer-protection law for gaps related to AI-driven scams and data privacy, if elected.

Johnson’s stated priorities include suing sanctuary cities, aggressively enforcing federal deportation orders, defending the state’s abortion restrictions, opposing transgender participation in women’s sports, cracking down on what he calls “rogue” district attorneys, enforcing Texas voter ID laws, and pursuing a “DOGE Texas” initiative aimed at rooting out government waste. Notably, Middleton voted to acquit Paxton during his 2023 impeachment trial in the Senate.

Election history in Texas points to a trend that favors Middleton.

The #1 law my Democrat opponent says he will not enforce is the Women’s Privacy Act I passed.

It’s common sense that men should not be in girl’s restrooms and locker rooms. As Attorney General, I will fight to enforce this law and make sure Texas is the best and safest state… https://t.co/tSWGu0AGqw

— Mayes Middleton (@mayes_middleton) August 27, 2026

An uphill statewide race

No Democrat has won a statewide contest in Texas since 1994, and the attorney general’s office in particular has been in Republican hands since Democrat Dan Morales left office in the late 1990s. John Cornyn flipped the seat for the GOP in 1998, defeating Democrat Jim Mattox, and it has stayed red through Greg Abbott’s tenure and Paxton’s three terms. Both campaigns are treating the election history as something to either defend or break.

The 2026 election will test whether the streak of Republican candidate wins continues.

Johnson, however, said in the interview that he has heard similar arguments about political odds before.

When he first ran for the Texas Senate in 2018, Johnson challenged Republican incumbent Don Huffines in a district Johnson said was expected to favor Republicans by 12 points.

“I had no connections. I didn’t have money, name ID, wasn’t famous,” Johnson said. “But I felt like I could beat him.”

The race was “written off until very, very late in the cycle” before he won by eight points, he added, “And I aim to pull off a similar result this time around on a statewide basis.”

What do Black voters think of Johnson?

A new poll by Texas Southern University’s Barbara Jordan Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, which surveyed more than 500 Black Texans, 20% of those surveyed favor Johnson, and 8% do not, while an overwhelming majority of 72% do not know enough about him.

Johnson says he is looking to change that by visiting historic Black communities in Houston.

“I’m visiting and engaging with communities right now, particularly in the Black community, where there’s no one on the statewide system,” Johnson told the Defender. “It’s very important for Black voters to feel like there’s someone who listens to them, who talks to them, and who understands what’s happening, who directs their interest.”

Based on reporting by Houston Defender.

NC HEALTH NEWS – Inside North Carolina prisons, incarcerated people have long turned to fellow prisoners for guidance about faith, conflict, grief, addiction, and simply how to navigate life behind bars.

An increasing number of those people are “field ministers” — incarcerated men who have earned a four-year bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry and received training in counseling and other skills.

After graduation, the field ministers — many serving life sentences — are deployed to prisons across the state in teams of three to six, where they work alongside prison chaplains and other staff.

The role comes with an unusual degree of trust and access. Field ministers can walk into a housing block and make rounds to check on people. They can sit with men struggling with grief, addiction, mental illness or the challenges of being separated from loved ones. They can visit men in solitary confinement, counsel peers, provide hospice care and teach classes.

Their work has made a difference, said Alpha Herring, an employee at Nash Correctional Institution who oversees programs there.

Ten years ago, when someone came to him with an issue, he might spend 30 minutes talking with them. Now, he doesn’t always have to be the one responding.

“We trust them enough that when a field minister just shows up at a block, no one questions them as to why they were there,” Herring said. “We trust them enough to know that they’re going to go forth, fulfill the vision and do the work that’s been assigned to their hands.

“They help us go home daily because they intervene in situations that we would never know about,” Herring continued.

The program launched at Nash Correctional in August 2017 in partnership with Judson College, a Wake Forest-based seminary, and the nonprofit Game Plan for Life, which describes itself as training men “to be influential leaders within their own faith tradition.” It’s modeled after a similar prison ministry program at Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola.

Since then, more than 80 men have graduated — more than 60 of whom now are serving as field ministers at 16 prisons. Another 87 men are completing their education at Nash Correctional. The first cohort of 19 female field ministers is also earning degrees; the program launched at North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in January 2024.

Nash Correctional Warden Talena Lee told NC Health News that she has seen the field ministers change prison culture, and they have challenged her and other prison officials to reconsider “what they can be and what they can do.”

“You cannot pour all the time and energy into every single person,” Lee explained, noting that the 654-bed prison has fewer than 12 case managers, including supervisors. “They come alongside and help us in our jobs. We consider [the field ministers] a tool in our toolbox — one that we use quite frequently, and it’s made the population here better.”

Creating a pipeline

Rocky Wright, director of prison programs at Judson College, said the North Carolina Field Minister Program is in high demand. Each year, he said more than 100 people apply for up to 30 slots.

Participants must have already earned a high school diploma or GED, completed at least one year without any infractions and have at least 10 years left to serve on their sentence. Wright said the program looks for people who demonstrate humility, compassion, and a willingness to serve.

“We’re looking for guys who have servant hearts, who want to serve others,” Wright said.

Students take a full college course load year-round, including coursework in liberal arts, biblical studies, and counseling.

After earning their degrees, field ministers are asked to serve for at least four years, though Wright said participation is voluntary.

How field ministers work can vary from prison to prison. Despite being unordained, some work alongside prison chaplains. Others work more closely with program staff. At intake facilities, field ministers help newly incarcerated people acclimate to the prison environment, and they serve as mentors during their first weeks. Many also teach classes, such as Thinking for a Change, a therapeutic approach to changing negative behaviors, and Father Accountability, which teaches positive parenting. They also lead Bible studies.

Wright said one field minister team at Harnett Correctional Institution even came up with a nonviolence initiative that lessened violence and fights at the facility.

Finding new purpose

Barry Mintz, 21 years into serving a life sentence without parole, was part of the field minister program’s first cohort. He said he originally joined for selfish reasons, thinking it would look good and help his chances of release.

But as he studied, Mintz said, his understanding of his faith changed, along with his understanding of himself and his purpose.

“My journey to this moment right now is a testament to the transformative power of faith and education,” he said during an Aug. 19 event at Nash Correctional that celebrated 10 years of the program.

Mintz said he’s helped countless people. Some days, that means lending an ear to someone who is in a mental health crisis or going through a wrenching life event.

He recalled one encounter that has stuck with him: an incarcerated man whose father died the day before he was released from prison. Based on his training, Mintz said he felt equipped to offer theological answers, grief counseling and simply a warm embrace.

“In that moment, I realized that we weren’t just equipped to think well, to read well, to write well and speak well — but we had been equipped to love well,” Mintz said.

‘Part of the community’

Field ministers lean into their own transformations and shared experiences to reach other incarcerated men.

“Our real effectiveness comes from being a part of the community,” said Timothy Johnson, another member of the first cohort of field ministers. “They know they can trust us with their problems because we’re living with the same problems. We don’t talk to them about how hard it is to be locked up and go home at the end of the day.”

Field ministers told NC Health News they often encounter men who want to change but don’t know how — and they can step in with guidance and support.

Jimmy Smith, a field minister at Caswell Correctional Center who graduated in the program’s second cohort, said he uses his own testimony to show how much change is possible.

“I’ve been incarcerated 31 years, so a lot of guys knew me when I was in my craziness, and they knew the transitions that I had made over the years and became the preacher,” Smith said. “I had to explain to them that I thought like a child, but then I became a man, and there are qualifications of being a man, and it’s responsibility, accountability, and reliability. Walking in that, it gives you parameters and things you won’t do anymore.”

William Singletary described getting support and mentorship from field ministers at Granville Correctional Institution.

“Their presence was not only uplifting but instrumental in my growth and development as an individual and a man of faith,” Singletary said. “Exposure to these ministers opened my eyes to the profound impact we can have on one another’s lives, even in the most unlikely of places. I watched as they poured their energy into helping others find peace, joy and purpose amidst their struggles.”

Singletary wanted to do the same. He’s studying to become a field minister himself.

Matthew Grant, a field minister student in his junior year, was sent to prison in 2004. He said he’s ready to draw on his own experiences to counsel others.

“I’ve lost family too,” he said. “I’ve been in the hole too. I’ve been depressed. I’ve been suicidal. I’ve been angry before. I’ve been in fights before. I’ve been to some of the most violent prisons in the state. I’ve done that. I’ve seen what that gets you, and I’ve been able to come out on the other side.”

Filling critical needs

The field ministers aren’t intended to replace prison chaplains or other staff, but to extend their reach.

Sarah Jobe, director of Chaplaincy Services at the N.C. Department of Adult Correction, said the department has about 47 chaplains serving across the state — about one-third of whom are community-funded through churches and other grants. That leaves some prisons without a chaplain.

“People’s critical needs for conversations around hard topics do not always happen when a chaplain is on site,” Jobe said. “The field ministers are right there to be called at any time, and can really step in and be a witness and a presence inside of the dorms in a way that the chaplain cannot.”

The N.C. Department of Adult Correction funded eight new chaplain positions last year, Jobe said. Prison leaders have been working toward having at least one chaplain in each state prison, she said, in recognition that spiritual care and religious accommodations can shape prison environments and culture.

Jobe helps determine which facilities get field ministers. The biggest factor, she said, is staff buy-in and their willingness to provide field ministers with the support and autonomy they need to best serve. She said she’s got more facilities that want field ministers than there are available graduates.

“They can be radical change agents for good and serve in caregiving professions well and under incredibly difficult circumstances,” Jobe said.

N.C. Department of Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes said she “hands down, without a doubt” views the field minister program as the program with the greatest impact on the department’s population of nearly 33,000.

“This program allows us to bring in partners from the outside to reach you, and then it allows you, when you earn your yellow shirt, to reach everyone,” she said. “You are credible messengers. You are the people who can change lives.”

Jobe agrees and said their impact will only grow as more field ministers are deployed to prisons across the state in the coming years.

The impact has been tremendous on Timothy Johnson, one of the prison system’s first graduates.

He went to prison in 2005, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. For many years, he said, that sentence defined his life story. But his work as a field minister changed his perspective.

“I feel like my story changed from life without parole, and that’s what defined me, to a life of purpose,” Johnson said. “Every day I wake up knowing I’m going to have some conversation with somebody that needs a little bit of hope, some inspiration that can feed off my story.”

Based on reporting by The Carolinian.