Family, Freedom, and the Future: How Jerron 'Jay' Jordan and REFORM Alliance Are Reshaping Supervision in America

When Jerron "Jay" Jordan accepted the Vice President of Community Engagement role on REFORM Alliance's new Executive Leadership Team, it wasn't just a career move—but a return to family and a recommitment to a cause he's long championed.

Jordan's ties to REFORM run deep, tracing back to the organization's roots. Before REFORM's official launch in 2019, he was connected to the mission through his wife, Carmen Perez, and organization CEO and longtime friend Jessica Jackson, who co-led the "Free Meek Mill" campaign after the rapper's highly publicized probation violation in 2017.

The injustice against Meek inspired leaders like Michael Rubin, Jay-Z, and Robert Kraft to create the REFORM Alliance, aiming to transform probation and parole from pathways back to prison into real avenues for success. Since 2019, REFORM has passed 20 bipartisan bills across 12 states, creating pathways for over 850,000 people to exit the justice system.

In addition to his wife's activism, Jordan built his own reputation in criminal justice reform, serving as CEO of the Alliance for Safety and Justice before stepping back to focus on his family. When Jackson approached him about a new role at REFORM, Jordan had to reflect—but ultimately knew it was another true call to action.

"Jess was like, 'Hey, I kind of need somebody to run this new community engagement,'" Jordan tells Bleu Magazine. "I was retired, man, taking care of my poodles and my boys, renovating my house. But we talked, and after hearing her vision again, I said, 'You know, let's give it a try.' It wasn't like stepping into something new—it was coming back to family."

Now, as VP of Community Engagement, Jordan leads a department intentionally staffed by those closest to the issue: individuals who have lived through incarceration or supervision firsthand.

"Under community engagement, we have 10 organizers, and I would say that 70 percent of them are formerly incarcerated. We have three people on staff with REFORM Advocacy Institute, and all of the folks who will do our training are impacted or formerly incarcerated," explains Jordan. "We have two people in our resource center, and they're both formerly incarcerated. Jerry, who is in his 60s, is our resource center coordinator, and he's still under supervision, too. REFORM stays true to what we say out there: we are building pathways to well-being, and we live that by our hiring practices."

Jordan's vision for community engagement stretches beyond traditional activism. His approach is a 360-degree strategy, partnering with impacted individuals and communities, law enforcement, probation officers, courts, and bipartisan allies. Additionally, the team aims to find "holistic solutions" to address the entire system, and the results are already visible.

Jordan highlights people such as Michael Bonilla, a young man REFORM met inside a prison who now organizes across 22 college campuses, and Anthony Martinez, whom the organization met at a reentry center and now leads REFORM's "Restaurant Ready" initiative, which prepares people for stable careers in the food industry.

For Jordan, true success isn't about flashy numbers—it's about tangible, daily improvements in people's lives. And while REFORM Alliance's roots involve celebrity activism—with names like Meek Mill, Jay-Z, and Robert Kraft—Jordan stresses that most of the work happens without celebrity involvement.

"It's Alex Gudich hustling up media stories," says Jordan. "It's Jessica Jackson organizing events. It's Tamiko on marketing, Chuck and Shea on policy, and Aaron arguing with legislators. That's REFORM."

Celebrity connections open doors, but the day-to-day grind is shouldered by a team of 37 staff members: formerly incarcerated individuals, attorneys, ex-mayors, policy experts, researchers, and marketing pros—a coalition fueled not by fame, but by relentless work.

Operating a team where some members are still under supervision brings its own challenges—and its own fierce sense of purpose. Jordan offered a surprising but powerful answer when asked how he keeps morale strong: it's not about motivation but discipline.

"I would take discipline over motivation every day," Jordan says. "Motivation fades. Some mornings, you just want to turn off the world. But discipline? That's what keeps us moving."

Drawing from his extensive leadership experience, Jordan believes the executives don't dictate organizational culture—it's shaped by the person with the least seniority.

"The culture is driven by the least of these," he explains. "You check on the person handling operations in the back room. You ask, 'How are you feeling? What can we do?' That focus—that's where we find our strength."

At REFORM, team-building is part of the everyday culture, not a once-a-year retreat. The organization cares deeply about those not in the spotlight. And for the many on staff who are formerly incarcerated, this work is more than a job—it's a calling.

"We're disciplined because we know if we do our job right, it's not just about statistics—it's about freeing people. It's about helping someone live with dignity."

Even though the team is strong and iron-willed, challenges remain steep, particularly when confronting public misconceptions about the very nature of supervision in America.

Jay broke it down: "About 25% of all prison admissions are due to a technical violation—meaning no new crime was committed. That's about 95,000 people sent back every year over things like missing a meeting or failing a drug test. It costs taxpayers $2.8 billion annually."

Layered on top of that is an economic chokehold: the 3.8 million people currently on supervision are three times more likely to be unemployed, and most earn less than $20,000 a year. Even when someone finally lands a job, the system can sabotage their progress, as Jay described the grim reality that many under supervision face.

Someone could be doing everything right at their new job and two officers in bulletproof vests could show up randomly for a check-in. Co-workers will see that and create an unfair stigma placed on that person. It's not the officers' fault either—it's the outdated system and bureaucracy to blame.

REFORM has done an incredible job recognizing this reality, as the organization doesn't operate as a national group that parachutes into a city for a quick legislative win. The approach lies in building a lasting, local presence, such as having organizers coming from the communities they serve and providing initiatives such as technical assistance, hosting job fairs, and launching jobs and pathways programs as part of a long-term investment.

Looking ahead, Jordan is particularly energized about REFORM's next major priority: passing the Federal Safer Supervision Act, which goal is to overhaul federal probation and parole, which has remained a "third rail" issue for too long.

"Many families and communities are having a hard time entering the economy due to the difficulties in securing a position while on federal probation," says Jordan. "For example, if I were on federal supervision, I couldn't cross the Hudson River to work in Manhattan. When on federal parole or supervised release, you're sometimes likely to be sent back to prison for a technical violation. This is something we all have to contend with, and no one has really been able to touch it."

He adds, "I'm most excited about REFORM working with the current administration and Congress to pass the Safer Supervision Act. In a time where there's a lot of contention, one thing we can agree on is that the Safer Supervision Act should be passed, and America will be better off for it."

When asked about his ultimate vision for REFORM's impact, Jordan is crystal clear: it's not about dismantling the massive, entrenched criminal justice system, which he points out is the second-largest employer in the world after India's Ministry of Defense. It's about changing lives.

"We don't have a criminal justice system; we have a crime response system," Jordan says. "Our impact isn't on the system—it's on the people trapped inside it. The millions on supervision now, and the ones who will come after them."

He continues, "Success is the father who says, 'Because of Senate Bill 838, I found a job. I can coach my son's Little League team now.' It's not about saying, 'Look, we got 850,000 people off supervision.' It's about the real stories behind those numbers—the people who can finally live full lives because of what we fought for. That's the REFORM way."