BIO — Building Individual Ownership is a nonprofit organization built on the belief that people are capable of real change, no matter their past. Founded by formerly incarcerated individuals with lived experience, BIO was created to help break cycles of incarceration, violence, addiction, and hopelessness through accountability, healing, and personal growth.

We provide social-emotional learning programs inside juvenile halls, prisons, reentry programs, and high schools, teaching skills such as emotional intelligence, financial literacy, healthy relationships, critical thinking, and career readiness. Our work is rooted in credibility, lived experience, and the understanding that transformation happens through connection, mentorship, and consistent support.

BIO also works directly in communities by mentoring youth, speaking in high schools, and helping young people make better decisions before they enter the justice system. We believe prevention is just as important as rehabilitation.