Inmate to mentor: Recovering Kansas addict helps women on the inside

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - After spending 20 years trapped in a cycle of addiction, Jodi Whitt from Topeka has now dedicated her life to helping inmates on the inside.

She realized that if she didn’t change her life, she would end up confined within cinderblock walls. In 2020, she faced the possibility of prison, having used up her second chances.

Today, Whitt sits in a rolling office chair, repping University of Kansas gear and wearing a name tag that reads “Chief Digital Navigator” inside a classroom at the Shawnee County Jail. Five years earlier, she would have been wearing an orange jumpsuit.

In her role, she teaches female inmates essential technology skills, including coding and cybersecurity, through the Technology Education Program at the University of Kansas Center for Digital Inclusion.

Reflecting on her past, Whitt recounted two decades filled with desperation, sadness, and loss. During that time, she had lost her support system and was consumed by addiction.

“I begged; I knew I needed help,” Whitt stated with newfound confidence.

Her tone shifted; it was a bit quieter and softer as she recalled a time in her life that felt unrecognizable to her.

“One day, I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the person staring back at me,” she said. “I knew I was going to die if I stayed out there.”

In that classroom, inspirational framed posters that read “excellence” and a whiteboard filled with encouraging notes to boost self-confidence surrounded her.

After completing rehab, Whitt became sober and reached a significant milestone—she celebrated five years of sobriety in October. Now, instead of sleeping in a jail cell, she has her own office where she teaches the same class she once attended.

When the opportunity arose to support female inmates, she had to return to the jail where she had served time: “I said, ‘Well, I want to take it back to the Shawnee County Jail.’”

Today, Whitt builds confidence in other women as they navigate the jail system, helping them recognize that they are more than just inmates.

In addition to her work, she has been rebuilding her relationship with her two children, a process that took time. Her son is 21, and her daughter is 18.

“I would send him text messages saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m here for you. I’m better, and I’m getting better.’ It took him two years to respond, and that was after weeks of weekly messages.” She noted that her daughter, however, was eager to reconnect.

Now, the recovering addict is making up for the two decades she missed with her children. “I cook dinner for them every night.”

If you or someone you know would be a good fit for the program, apply by clicking this link.

To qualify, you must:

• Identify as female
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Have served time in jail or prison
• Live in Kansas or Missouri or served time in a Kansas or Missouri jail or prison

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