The Community的动态

If it were up to me, every month would be Fair Chance Month. But since I don't make the rules, I am taking advantage of Second Chance Month to open and continue conversations about incarceration, reentry, and the harm of the carceral state. Voices of Reentry is powerful vehicle for having these conversations, and Second Chance Month is a great time to arrange a screening for your school, workplace, faith community, or other community you're part of. DM me or email [email protected] to get started. Shoutout to Terrell A. Blount, MPA for his powerful analysis of why the term "Second Chance" is problematic. #SecondChanceMonth #reentrymatters #normalizeopportunity #reentry #fairchance https://lnkd.in/ekdHP3_Q

In North Carolina, the "Second Chances" program provides support and resources to individuals reentering society after incarceration, including job training, educational opportunities, and mentorship. Its goal is to facilitate successful reintegration and reduce recidivism by addressing the challenges of reentry. https://buff.ly/46IdDuT

?? Joining the Conversation: Second Chance Month ?? At my recent art exhibition held at the Colorado State Capitol, I had the opportunity to speak on "Second Chance Month" — a topic deeply personal to me. Why? I lived it and continue to live through it. I've dedicated myself to founding organizations aimed at supporting both incarcerated folks and those that are reentering society. All of this while I am STILL on parole. Yet, amidst the buzz of 'Second Chance Month', I find myself questioning its true impact. In my honest opinion, I think it is a joke, a ruse, a cheap token gesture. I am currently walking the difficult path of reintegration and inequitable redemption. I've witnessed firsthand the gaps in support and the barriers to successful transition faced by those returning to society. Merely designating a month for second chances does little to address the structural injustices and cultural biases that perpetuate cycles of incarceration. I urge the community, self proclaimed allies, policymakers and stakeholders to move beyond symbolic gestures. We need tangible reforms, comprehensive support systems, and a shift in systemic attitudes towards rehabilitation and redemption. Second Chance Month should not be a tokenistic nod to the idea of redemption; it should be a call to action for substantive change. Let's work together to create a system that truly offers second chances—not just for a month, but for every individual seeking to rebuild their lives after incarceration. Let's advocate for concrete policies, comprehensive support systems, and a shift in systemic attitudes towards rehabilitation and redemption. Together, we can ensure that every individual, regardless of their past, has the opportunity to thrive. #SecondChanceMonth #CriminalJusticeReform #Empowerment #Redemption #CutTheBullShit

MY Top 6?? Performing Posts on Linked In last week. It's a lagging indicator of the algorithms tolerance and a leading indicator of what you can expect to not hear more of. It doesn't really matter. Afterall, you'll never know about any of it. 1?? Incarceration as an answer to lack of affordable housing results in higher rates of incarceration but lower rates of #homeownership. We all agree. Finally. https://lnkd.in/g3gRM52X 2?? It’s gritty in my City.? I have a story to share. About me and a Marine. Thanks for #reading. https://lnkd.in/gv_83Zfg 3?? Last week's The Six. Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting (hoo! Huh!) Your mind becomes fast as lightning Although the #future is a little bit frightening (little bit frightening) It's the book of your life that you're writing....??? https://lnkd.in/gmx4yH3D 4?? More grit. More reading. More #gratitude. Life and TheLou is like a box of chocolates. How long has this been going on? ?https://lnkd.in/g4esButZ 5?? Now you’re messing with a #SOB Nazareth and The International Brotherhood of Teamsters in TheLou. You know what to do. You're a diamond in the rough A brilliant ball of clay You could be a work of art (ha!) If you just go all the way (look out) Now what would it take to break? (Cee) I believe that you can bend Not only do you have to fight (hoo!) But you have got to #win https://lnkd.in/g9x4yA4V 6?? #Hoffa. https://lnkd.in/gsX4m-_A ?? So what does it all mean?? You are a natural (ooh) Why is it so hard to see? (Yeah) Maybe it's just because (ooh) You keep on looking at me (huh!) The journey's a lonely one (ooh) So much more than we know (yeah) But sometimes you've got to go (ooh) Go and be your own hero ?? National Alliance to End Homelessness Invisible People Keeping Current Matters Eviction Lab U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Interagency Veterans Advisory Council America's Homeowner Alliance Mortgage Bankers Association National Association of Home Builders AFL-CIO AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust National Fraternal Order of Police National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) American Land Title Association NAHREP - National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals?Ben Owen Flanders Fields BlackRifle Co (not coffee) Gerald Howard #Housing is a #human agenda.

Do you know someone who needs another tool or an extra push of motivation to make it to the next level after incarceration? Do you have a family member that has struggled with the justice system for years? Give this workbook a try. The results will make you a believer and make whoever you gift this workbook to a new man/woman. Click the link below and change a life for good. https://lnkd.in/eTEtAbrb

??I went to Prison and Turned it into a career. Here’s how I did it: 1?? Embracing Empathy: My time in a youth offenders prison revealed the untold stories behind the labels. These young individuals needed support, not judgment. My empathy became my driving force. 2?? Leveraging Lived Experience: Starting with no formal qualifications, I recognized the power of relatability. Young people valued my authentic life experiences over degrees. 3?? Skill Transformation: I mastered the art of adapting skills to any context: Led youth activities to divert from crime and antisocial behaviour = organizing weekly football sessions for kids from local mosques). Conducted outreach work with hard to reach young people and delivered workshops on life choices guiding young people at my local park to prioritize prayer). Do you agree with these 3? Comment your thoughts.

We believe a person’s future can be different from their past. It’s great to read about these young people in QLD being supported to boost their confidence and develop life skills to create their new beginning. https://lnkd.in/gMGUXEME

Love on your family. Pay attention to micro shifts in their patterns and behaviors. I have two friends who lost relatives (Black males) in their mid-twenties to suicide within two hours of each other in two separate states, and they didn't know each other. We have experienced a severe spike in Black male suicide over the last 6-8 years (49 percent) between ages 14 and 24 (JAMA Study). If we compare today's numbers to that of 1991, there is a 73 percent increase. Whether we want to admit it or not, we have a problem. And telling our young men to man up won't fix it. I have been sounding the clarion for years. We have a problem. We will be discussing this topic for a while over the coming weeks. ________________________________ Additional Resources: Check out my bio, current projects, upcoming live events, books, client reviews, and more. Click here: https://lnkd.in/gMsP65xM

There is a right and wrong way to work with lived experience. Systems & services that don’t embed lived experience often don’t work and are often harmful. The best example of a badly designed system is the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, all because it is focused on profiteering from vulnerable people. Here are two fantastic frameworks that can help organisations to safely engage with lived experience, both can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gEnAWUef 1. An Australian Framework for the ethical co-production of research & evaluation with victim survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence 2023 https://lnkd.in/gfExmfQ5 2. The family violence experts by experience framework 2020 https://lnkd.in/g_ZJa2Zi

Love on your family. Pay attention to micro shifts in their patterns and behaviors. I have two friends who lost relatives (Black males) in their mid-twenties to suicide within two hours of each other in two separate states, and they didn't know each other. We have experienced a severe spike in Black male suicide over the last 6-8 years (49 percent) between ages 14 and 24 (JAMA Study). If we compare today's numbers to that of 1991, there is a 73 percent increase. Whether we want to admit it or not, we have a problem. And telling our young men to man up won't fix it. I have been sounding the clarion for years. We have a problem. We will be discussing this topic for a while over the coming weeks. ________________________________ Additional Resources: Check out my bio, current projects, upcoming live events, books, client reviews, and more. Click here: https://lnkd.in/gMsP65xM