Originally published at Southern Cross
SAN DIEGO — Austin Galy knows how it feels to pursue educational and career opportunities with a criminal record.
“It’s just sort of a stigma that follows you,” he said, referring to the failed background checks and job rejections that dog the formerly incarcerated.
Originally from Atlanta, Galy grew up in a home where domestic violence was prevalent. He was arrested multiple times for a variety of reasons, between age 13 and 19, serving sentences in juvenile hall and county jail that ranged from a few weeks to several months.
After a stint in the Air Force, he moved to San Diego for a fresh start.
He earned a bachelor’s in Sociology and a master’s in Peace and Justice Studies at the University of San Diego, where he now serves on staff in a role that allows him to help others who come from similar backgrounds.
Galy is senior director of Student Social and Economic Mobility at USD’s Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action.
In that capacity, he assists students from marginalized communities to navigate the ins and outs of higher education. They include those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, the undocumented, and the formerly incarcerated.
With Janelle Brown-Peters, he
