It’s All About Building Relationships

Recently, the Archdiocese of New York highlighted the work of Sister Katie Sitja y
Balbastro, IHM, a mentor within the prison project who has spent her life serving marginalized communities. Sister Katie serves as the supportive services coordinator at Thrive for Life where she uses her skills in interior design and carpentry to transform living spaces in the program residences.

Interior designers need a mix of creative, technical, and interpersonal skills to succeed.
These include creativity, attention to detail, strong communication, and project management—all of which Sister Katie posesses and shares unconditionally.

Thrive for Life, a prison project founded by Fr. Zach Presutti, SJ, mentors incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals on their journey to reentry. With programs across six correctional facilities in New York and New Jersey, the organization has helped transform thousands of lives behind and beyond prison walls providing wellness, academic, technological, and career mentorship.

As a Latina, Sister Katie cares about tackling the racial disparity in the United States prison system: “We know that a large part of the prison population in the country is Latino, and an even bigger portion is Black.” Incarceration continues to be a problem that disproportionately affects people of color: over 30% of those in prison are Latinos, while almost 35% are Black (Federal Bureau of Prisons).

“It’s all about building relationships,” Sister Katie said. “We’re helping them at a time when they are really struggling. Some have been incarcerated for a long time, and we know society moves very fast. It is not easy to cope with those changes. We take the time to really listen. That is how the coaching begins.”