Dr. Mica Battle
Dr. Mica Battle
Board Vice Chair
Dr. Mica V. Battle has a Ph.D. in Organizational Management and Leadership. Currently, she is the founder and Executive Director of Chicago based Bridge To Freedom, a nonprofit organization that began with a vision and goal to reduce and ultimately eliminate recidivism among ex-offenders after she herself, spent time incarcerated. Dr. Battle continued hands on work includes being a mentor in Illinois State prisons where she helps inmates prepare for re-entry and her vision has taken her to places such as Kingdom of Cambodia and Southeast Asia where she has had opportunities to mentor the prisoners.
Dr. Mica Battle has an unmatched dedication to her purpose and calling is an understatement. Earning her BS, Masters, and Doctorate all after the age of 50, she continues to defy odds that seemed stacked against her. She is an author of four books, a businesswoman, an entrepreneur and a community activist. Her dedication and commitment to others helped to develop Bruised, But Not Defeated, a grassroots organization for women and children of domestic violence. She is the owner of The Black Box Theater in Chicago where she produces and directs plays along with developing beginner writers to share and tell their stories. Her very own story was in fact a sold out production in the summer of 2024. With full hands her work continues as the co-owner with former inmates of the eclectic Chicago Soul Coffee Shop in Chicago with is located just steps from tourist attraction, The Obama Presidential Library. From Prison to Redemption, Dr. Mica Battle serves as an example of what second chances are made of.
Dr. Mica Battle wears many hats in her career, including Executive Director. Bridge To Freedom is proud that of the almost five hundred re-entrants which have come onto the program since the beginning, more than 90% have NOT returned to prison. The re-arrest average is quite low for those who have completed phases one through three. Inside and outside of the organization, Dr. Mica Battle has developed day-to-day applicable living conditions including life skill training sessions in both group and individual settings. This entails things such as stress and anger management, budgeting and how to make practical good decisions daily while promoting relationship reconciliation, drug rehabilitation, job skill training, obtaining and keeping employment. Bridge To Freedom presents two grants yearly to minority owned nonprofit organizations. They also have a subsidiary magazine titled, Just Released that promotes the desire to be creative through writing.
Dr. Mic Battle is the author of four books and an entrepreneur who continues to contribute to her community in equally as many ways. She serves as a consultant for Matters of The Heart and Abused, But Not Defeated, both organizations for abused women and children. She is passionate about education for others through leadership skill development, guidance in nonprofit program development, business development, book writing and teaching others how to operate in their strengths to better service themselves and those around them. The Chicago Soul Coffee Shop serves up great coffee, however it also is a place for local artist to showcase their talents in the arts via Poetry Nights, Paint and Showcase and Sunday Soul Bruch. All serving as an effort to bring the community out and together.
