99STAMOS: PHILLIP FARAONE—GETTY IMAGES; HOOKS: ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIS FRANKLIN FOR TIMEBrian Hooks42 •
PHILANTHROPIC
IMPACTBY PRISCILLA CHANIt’s daunting to think about trans-
forming America’s criminal-justice
system. As it stands, 2.3 million
people are incarcerated in our
prisons and jails with unequal
representation from Black and
brown communities. There are
between 70 million and 100 mil-
lion people with criminal records
facing extreme barriers to oppor-
tunity. We have 50 states, each
with different political and cultural
realities, and each on a different
journey to reform. The challenge
before us is immense.
What gives me hope? Leaders
like Brian Hooks and organizations
like Stand Together—the
philanthropic nonprofi t he leads—
who recognize that rebuilding our
justice system, among the many
other issues they tackle, starts
with rethinking the way we work.
They see that scalable progress
is only possible when we partner
with others and build bridges
across every imaginable divide.
This core principle of
collaboration speaks volumes
about Brian’s leadership. It sends
a message to anyone who’s trying
to move mountains in tough, often
divided spaces, that we’re our
best selves and get to our best
outcomes when we work together.Chan is a doctor and a
philanthropist who co-established
the Chan Zuckerberg InitiativePHOTOGRAPH BY MADELEINE IVEY