Can I Really Change? — From Prison to 11 Houses and 3 Coffee Shops – Rhonda Bear Interview [Video]

Rhonda Bear shares how addiction, incarceration, faith, and community became the foundation for She Brews Coffee & Transition Program, a growing network of transitional homes, and reform work across Oklahoma.

About Our Guest: Rhonda Bear

A mother, wife, daughter, sister, and former inmate 377488, Rhonda Bear has dedicated her life to restoration and breaking generational cycles. As a social worker, founder of She Brews Coffee & Transition Program, and Program Director for Stand in the Gap Ministries, she helps formerly incarcerated women rebuild their lives with dignity, structure, and purpose.

Since 2008, Rhonda has opened transitional housing for people leaving incarceration, beginning with a single women's house and growing into a network that now includes housing for men, women, mothers with children, and families. In Oklahoma, she has also become a leading advocate for reform, serving on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections as the first formerly incarcerated person in the United States appointed to that role.

Rhonda's work is rooted in the conviction that when a life is restored, entire families and future generations can be changed. Through highly structured programming, practical life training, faith, accountability, and community, she continues to help women move from survival to lasting transformation.

In This Interview:

Turning herself in – Rhonda explains the road that led to prison and why surrender became the beginning of change.

Hope inside prison – She describes the role of Kairos, prison ministry, and the small sparks that help women believe they can change.

Building She Brews – She walks through how coffee shops and transitional housing grew into a practical reentry system.

Structured reentry support – Rhonda explains why dignity, accountability, safe housing, and community all matter after release.

Reforming Oklahoma – She reflects on advocacy, policy change, and what actually helps women stay out of prison.

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Our Mission

In partnership with others, Embraced:Fully supports incarcerated and returning citizens in their moral and spiritual journey toward successful reentry. Through Angel Team members, we help connect individuals with community, faith, housing, employment, transportation, friendship, and mentorship – building bridges of hope and belonging.