But with the support of advocates and some unwavering determination, she broke the cycle that ensnares so many Americans in a system of mass incarceration.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAll the resources that helped me, I want others to have those resources too,\u201d says Myers. Myers, affectionately known as \u201cT\u201d in the community, is now an activist in Philadelphia leading a movement to reform the justice system and support the people who have been impacted by it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI allowed myself to be revolutionarily vulnerable,\u201d says Myers about being featured in <\/span>Philly D.A.<\/span><\/i><\/a> \u201cI want to inspire others so they know what impacted people like me go through.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n LaTonya Myers, in Philly D.A.<\/p><\/div>\n Reforming the Cash Bail System<\/b><\/p>\n Cash bail is a widely-used system in America that requires people accused of a crime to pay their way out of jail while the court reviews the charges against them. If they can\u2019t come up with the cash, they stay locked up until their trial or they agree to a plea bargain.<\/span><\/p>\n Myers was hired as Philadelphia\u2019s first-ever Bail Navigator for the <\/span>Defender Association<\/span><\/a> while still under court supervision. With the help of her colleagues, she <\/span>filed a petition<\/span><\/a> to get released early from her near decade-long probation. Since her story was featured prominently in <\/span>Philly D.A.<\/span><\/i>, people from all over the country have reached out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s been exciting,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve had people reach out on social media asking for support and sharing their stories. I hope this film has an impact on people who are still going through this situation. I want them to know that they can make it out too\u2014they can file a petition for early release just like I did. And I want the community to see formerly incarcerated people rising as leaders.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Myers moved on to doing similar work at the <\/span>Philadelphia Bail Fund<\/span><\/a> and started her own organization called <\/span>Above All Odds<\/span><\/a>, which helps returning citizens address the root causes of incarceration, such as housing and financial literacy. \u201cWe\u2019re fundraising right now to get a building so the people we\u2019re bailing out have a place to go to get the support they need to be successful,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"LaTonya](\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/PHILLYDA_EP104_Thumbnail.jpg\")