On Tuesday, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson appeared with acclaimed American rapper, singer, and songwriter Jelly Roll at the World Literacy Summit at Oxford University in England. The pair have linked up numerous times in the last couple years promoting a message of hope for incarcerated men and women, sharing stories about people right here in Genesee County whose lives have been changed by the I.G.N.I.T.E. Program (Inmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally Through Education).

The I.G.N.I.T.E. Program, which started in Genesee County, has now been ushered into communities across the country. The goal of the program is to eliminate generational incarceration through the restorative nature of education, allowing people to find hope and a purpose.

Watch Sheriff Swanson in the video below introducing Jelly Roll, a recipient of the Global Literacy Award given by the World Literacy Foundation to individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to advancing literacy worldwide.