JACKSON, Tenn. — Stacey Books was nominated as a Remarkable Woman by six different people. She turned one of the lowest moments in her life into a mission to help others, changing lives and giving hope through a program that targets those behind prison walls.

One of the people who nominated her is Jason Doty, who’s gone from prison inmate to prosperous businessman.

“I nominated Stacey Books because she literally saved my life, and a part of the program that she is a part of not only gave me the foundations and the strength to be a better human being, but now every single day I get to do what she did for me, which is give back to my community and save lives and change lives and its all because of her,” Doty said.

Books is senior director of programs for persevere, a nonprofit that offers a one-year computer programming course for people in prison that trains them to become software developers. In addition, the program offers transitional housing and life skills classes once they are released.

Books became one of the program’s first initiates while serving a prison sentence for felony theft.

“At no point in my life did I ever think I was going to be incarcerated,” she said. “I was a mom, I was a wife, I was a business owner. And life happened. And so I found myself at one of the darkest times of my life. So I served almost three years and I had gone up for parole. And I was told that I had to have a job before I could be released.”

That’s when she connected with the owner of Persevere, which was then just a start-up company.

“We were building Persevere out, and every state we went to told us, they did not want our program behind the walls. And it was because we were teaching technology to individuals with a criminal background,” she said.

In 2019, Persevere got a break, and the nonprofit part of the tech company implemented training programs in three West Tennessee prisons.

“Persevere started in one state and three facilities. And now we are in seven states, 18 facilities. Our program in Tennessee touches all 95 counties,” she said.

Those who graduate from Persevere have a 93% placement rate and the opportunity to get a good paying job. Since 2019 only five have returned to prison. Books plays a major role in the program’s success.

“We offer mental health counseling. We offer case management, job placement. We have 10 different technology pathways. So it’s personal for me, right? Because I was that person walking out of prison and I was given an opportunity and so our goal within Persevere is to provide that same opportunity.”

The wife, mother and grandmother isn’t resting on her accomplishments. Books, who lives in Camden, Tennessee, is currently pursuing a law degree in hopes of making an even larger impact.

“I would like to think that I’m an advocate. I want to fight for everyone and see them succeed. I do have a downfall, and that is, I feel like I have to save everybody. And it’s because when I needed saving, I didn’t have anybody to save me,” she said.