P2P Virtual Job Fair

"Nothing is easy, but there is help and support out there – more opportunities than obstacles and we want to be part of the solution to drive organizational change," shared Cindy Mebruer, Director of Engagement, Education & Sustainability for CSCMP - Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

P2P is focused on providing academic advancement, workforce solutions and mentorship to system impacted people in 35 states currently. We open access to education, sustainable workforce opportunities and create necessary policy change through outcomes-based research.? Our focus is to educate society on the realities associated with incarceration and the trauma people and their families face and endure in such situations. We aim to develop and structure healthy environments together with community and employers to be culturally sensitive, inclusive and create economic stability.?

We welcomed transformational leaders in the field of supply chain, law, STEM, research, transportation, education, communications and green workforce development at the Eighth Virtual Job Fair hosted by P2P on January 15, 2023.

Rudy Rivera, Chief International Council for Fidelity National Financial, shared, "Fear is the mind killer.?The biggest obstacle you are going to have is YOU." To add a little flavor to his talk, Rudy had the scene from "Dune" that represents the idea that we are not prepared to fight the battle within us.?At times people may feel they are never going to do this because of that.?They end up creating their own failure before they even get started.??Rudy has a remarkable gift that allows people to see the light and potential within themselves. To learn more from Rudy, check out his fantastic podcast where he invites people from all over the world, sharing life's pearls, challenges and best practices to life.

Robert Salyer is a documentary artist and film producer with POV and Appalshop and has done a fair share of documentaries and films for PBS.?He recently showcased a documentary at the STEM-OPS Convening, "Let the Little Light Shine".? As Manager of Outreach and Impact America, Robert uses film to organize change and create a space for dialogue. His aim is to work beyond the broadcast and around critical issues associated with people who have not been able to use their voice and share their story.

Power52 provides employment training for at-risk adults, returning citizens, and underserved individuals living in Baltimore City and surrounding counties that prepares participants for careers in the solar industry as well as other green job opportunities.?Marlon Bonner, Community Outreach Coordinator shared his passion and all the wrap around services Power52 provides to create opportunities that allow people to learn how to install solar panels and be part of the green workforce movement.

Margaret diZerega, is the Initiative Director at Vera Institute. She has been part of P2P's Virtual Job Fairs since inception. She has been a catalyst behind Pell Restoration and so many necessary programs that allow just involved people to move forward and achieve their fullest potential.

Jessica Hicklin is Chief Technology Officer at UnlockED Labs, an organization that focuses on STEM education for incarcerated people to ensure a stronger future in Missouri prisons.??She has taught people both inside and outside the carceral system and continues to strengthen the pipeline with LaunchCode and many other employers who create open spaces for people to pursue high-paying jobs in the tech field. Desperate to improve her mind and opportunities for successful return to society, in a facility with no access to formal education, she taught herself how to code, without the internet and then shared her talent with others around her.

LaShana Lewis is Chief Technology Officer at Opportunity@Work , a?STARS Program and LaunchCode graduate. Her energy and drive are contagious, and she carries 15+ years of experience in the STEM field.??LaShana is a remarkable strategist and leader.?She is Founder of L.M. Lewis Consulting and committed to helping organizations effectuate desired growth by ensuring that technological resources meet the company's short and long-term needs. Her drive has not gone unnoticed, and she was invited to the White House to discuss the remarkable work she has created to open access to workforce opportunities that allow justice involved people to live sustainable, normal and meaningful lives through StellarWorx. Here's a clip with President Obama.

FreeWorld gets formerly incarcerated people into high-wage jobs to thrive on their own terms by getting their CDL licensure. With a newfound sense of stability, prison remains a memory for FreeWorld graduates. Tiereny (TJ) White - Marketing & Recruitment Manage for FreeWorld discussed how people can apply for their program. Their mission is to end generational poverty and recidivism by creating a sustainable model in the transportation sector. Training is free and a stipend is provided to each scholar to allow them to receive the necessary training and be introduced to a network of employers who hire each of the FreeWorld scholars into their industry. Poverty is the strongest predictor of recidivism and therefore FreeWorld's mission to provide economical solutions to the workforce by including all people to be successful.

“If former prisoners get jobs, what that ends up meaning is that we have safer communities, we are saving taxpayers a lot of money on re-incarnation costs. And we're also helping a population that normally is excluded from the economy actually participate into the economy by paying taxes.” - Jason Wang, MBA, MS , Founder & CEO of FreeWorld

The Oregon Social Learning Center is a non-profit, collaborative, multidisciplinary research center dedicated to increasing the scientific understanding of social and psychological processes related to healthy development and family functioning. They apply that understanding to the design and evaluation of interventions that strengthen children, adolescents, families, and communities. Through the JEAP Initiative (Justice-Involved and Emerging Adults Populations Initiative), the goal is for rapid advancement of the recovery support services filed for people affected by opioid and polysubstance use disorders. Dr. Ashli Sheidow and Jessica Snow will be presenting at the 16th?Annual Academic & Health Policy Conference on Criminal Justice Health!

Dr. Ashli Sheidow researches treatments for mental health and substance use problems in adolescents and emerging adults, particularly those who have co-occurring problems or are justice-involved. She’s also focuses on effective dissemination of evidence-based practices, in particular through improving training and support for community-based providers. Dr. Sheidow is a huge ally for P2P and has hired many of our scholars to become fellows and continue in their research and educational track.

James Tompkins and Jessica Snow are stellar examples. James presented on his current experience as a JEAP research fellow and graduate of P2P Cohort 24. He is currently an undergraduate at California State Bakersfield and will complete his Bachelors of Psychology in 2024. He is heavily interested in research that is conducted with the intent of tearing down barriers to education and improving quality of life for all people. James shared, "NOs are just as valuable as YESs."

Through educational programs, workforce opportunities and leaders that see the value in including all voices in the workplace, meaningful change and paradigms occur. Dr. Stanley Andrisse, MBA, PhD , Executive Director for P2P, is just one of many examples who continuously demonstrates how people can achieve their potential if they are given the opportunity to do so. Someone invested their time and opened a door that allowed Dr. Andrisse to do the same for 700+ scholars from P2P. If you haven't read his #1 Best Selling Book, "It's Never Too Late To Good," it's certainly a game and mindset changer. A captivating story detailing how resilience and inner strength can be combined to overcome mountainous barriers to reach one's full potential.

In a hypercompetitive economy, where companies struggle to identify strong candidates at all levels of their operations, too many employers are missing out on qualified talent in this huge segment of the U.S. population. Encouragingly, companies in a wide range of industries, including complex and highly regulated sectors, have bucked this trend and established successful programs that give these job seekers a chance at meaningful employment. For companies that have a track record of second chance employment, opening up this talent pipeline is essential to delivering great benefits and innovative solutions.