Dr. Ezzat Moghazy, Beth McCann and Marchell Taylor Sr.

A simple visit to any legal library in a Colorado Department of Corrections Facility and you will discover a letter of support from McCann to other inmates.

DENVER (PRWEB)
February 06, 2020

As Denver District Attorney Beth McCann is running again for chief law enforcement officer, AYBOS Marketing LLC continues to follow her story. In the 2016 Denver Post, McCann ran for office on the premise that she would “Discontinue using jails as tools to warehouse inmates or individuals with mental health disorders.” She continues to stick to her word in 2020. Inspired by the 2016 Post article, AYBOS Marketing Director Marchell Taylor, facing a life sentence in the same, reached out to Beth McCann and she reached back. He immediately contacted his business partner C. A. Shively from the county jail and said, “AYBOS must support this district attorneys’ efforts.” After reading the article himself, Shively agreed.

McCann is keeping her campaign promise in 2020 by supporting inmates like Taylor while in treatment or seeking help. McCann and Taylor corresponded back and forth through letters while in the Men’s Mental Health Transition Unit in the Denver County Jail. Taylor noticed for the first time in his 21-year criminal history, a district attorney who cared about his own mental health issues. The mental health disorders that went largely unidentified and un-diagnosed until McCann came into office, Taylor says changed his life forever. Taylor attributes McCann for saving his life, while McCann says the she “Simply supported him in his process.”

McCann began to inspire the Rebuild Your Mind Mental Health Challenge from behind the scenes. After noticing that Taylor was serious about de-stigmatizing these issues, she reached out to the then President/CEO of Mental Health Colorado, and now US Senate candidate, Andrew Romanoff and connected him to the mental health challenge. McCann’s inspiration led Romanoff into accepting a meeting with the Rebuild Your Mind Communication Director Roberta Derek. Coincidentally, Derek had already filmed her own challenge video, in which she challenged McCann, Romanoff and 9 News Anchor Kyle Clark. See Mrs. Derek’s challenge video here: https://youtu.be/yWFWUXm71zA

Derek first met with McCann on behalf of Rebuild Your Mind and then with Romanoff to establish the specifics of a full interview with the AYBOS Video Team. AYBOS Video Team, C. A. Shively and CU intern Rosalinda Ortega, then captured the interview with Romanoff, Taylor and Rebuild Your Mind Assistant Director Dr. Ezzat Moghazy. Romanoff not only accepted his challenge, but he talked about his own struggle with losing his first cousin (whom Romanoff says she was a sister to him) to suicide on New Year’s Day.

Romanoff then goes on to challenge Governor Jarod Polis and Cynthia Coffman (in last 3 minutes of video interview), in hopes they would accept their challenge. While the challenge has a three challenge limit, according to the challenge guide lines (see challenge instruction video here featuring Ortega where she inspires “There’s no greater time for this type of movement than now”: https://youtu.be/NMrjX6dvo3U), Romanoff surprises everyone with his third challenge; see video Link here: https://youtu.be/RgLb_wTFlIo

McCann is no stranger to mental health issues in her city. She has fashioned juvenile justice reforms, gang reduction initiatives and mental health advisory panels to address trauma and its imprints. She frequents re-entry centers to discover what’s working and isn’t in her city and surrounding counties. A simple visit to any legal library in a Colorado Department of Corrections Facility and you will discover a letter of support from McCann to other inmates. This District Attorney has mothered this city for a long time, and the AYBOS Rebuild Your Mind Challenge would not exist today without her inspiration and encouragement.

Deputy Mike Jackson was the first to support the then, Beth McCann Rebuild Your Mind Mental Health Challenge. He was the first to take the Challenge on the Rebuild Your Mind Camera’s. Shively interviewed Jackson where he challenged Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and other elected officials. (see video/press release.)

Mr. Taylor, forty other inmates and C. A. Shively began sending the Beth McCann Rebuild Your Mind Mental Health Challenge & Initiative to everyone, except her, to get people to support her mental health efforts in the criminal justice system. Taylor, Shively and Deputy Jackson all admit it was a gutsy move but turned out great results, with McCann herself inspiring Andrew Romanoff to support the Rebuild Your Mind Mental Health Challenge. (see video)

McCann began supporting Taylor through letters, they wrote back and forth for the last two years of his incarceration. Taylor, Shively and several other Rebuild Your Mind stakeholders have either met, presented or just sat down to talk with McCann since Taylor’s release. When he talks with her, he proudly pronounces that she saved his life. To this, her reply is “I didn’t save Marchell, he saved himself, I just supported him in his process!”

In November of 2018, McCann invited newly released inmate Taylor and Rebuild Your Mind Mental Health Challenge developer, C.A. Shively, to present the initiative on her Mental Health Advisory Panel. Still in its infancy, the panel advised Taylor and Shively to finalize the initiative and return with the full plan. To date, the team has produced a Mental Health Bill and grant to include an 80-person facility plan which all encompass the overall goal of the initiative; To make Colorado the most efficient Trauma-Informed, Trauma-Conscious and Trauma-Responsive state in the United States.

Today, McCann is running again for the Denver District Attorney’s Office. What McCann has encouraged as district attorney, inspired Judge Brain Whitney to sentence Taylor to more treatment as opposed to incarceration. She has inspired Inmates to become mental health advocates, as well as active members of society. Taylor, Shively, and McCann meet often to discuss AYBOS Rebuild Your Mind Mental Health Initiative. AYBOS also supports McCann in her second race for Denver District Attorney. In fact, AYBOS Marketing is launching their own “McCann Can” Initiative to help support her new run for chief law enforcement officer of Denver. You can donate Denver District Attorney Beth McCann’s campaign at: https://act.myngp.com/Forms/7230794852934420480

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