JESSE VASQUEZ Jesse Vasquez, 36, former editor-in-chief of San Quentin News, paroled in late May from San Quentin State Prison after spending all of his adult years in prison and a little more than half his life. Vasquez paroled with a different state of mind from the one his 17-year-old younger self arrived with in 2001. “When I was a teenager, I knew I was already being formed for prison,” said Vasquez. “When I came to prison it wasn’t a surprise to me. I wasn’t bitter, angry or sad.” “My mother used to tell me if I continued … [Read more...] about Jesse Vasquez, SQN former editor-in-chief paroled
Re-entry
RISE founder helps returning citizens rebuild their lives
Tracy Brumfield After incarceration Tracy Brumfield did not sit back with her arms crossed when it came to her recovery and reentry: She founded RISE, a newspaper and resource guide to help Cincinnati’s returning citizens get the services they need to rebuild their lives, reported on RISE website. Brumfield overcame drug addiction, homelessness and unemployment before running her own business. She launched RISE (Reenter Into Society Empowered) in 2017. The first edition was called the Recovery issue. “Five years ago, I was downstairs … [Read more...] about RISE founder helps returning citizens rebuild their lives
Celebrating the holiday homecoming of incarcerated women
Nancy Skinner with volunteers and formerly incarcerated women at the event After prison, women face different reentry barriers than men do, primarily be- cause women have much greater responsibilities (as caregivers, parents and relationship supporters to family, intimates and their communities and social net- works) than men do. When women go to prison and jail, the roles they have served become lost to the people who relied on them. Compounding this problem is the reality that women do not receive the same types of support they give … [Read more...] about Celebrating the holiday homecoming of incarcerated women
Advocacy group for the incarcerated finds home in Oakland
An organization established 40 years ago to advocate for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people recently relocated to Oakland, reports Carla Williams on oaklandnorth.net. “If we don’t protect Oakland, we won’t have an urban community to call our own,” said Dorsey Nunn, executive director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC). He was referring to the fact that Black people now make up only 4 percent of the population in San Francisco. “We lost San Francisco, but we have the opportunity to do something great here … [Read more...] about Advocacy group for the incarcerated finds home in Oakland
Collateral consequences of incarceration still linger
Jay Jordan’s story is an example of the barriers the formerly incarcerated face when trying to make a new life outside of prison. He was paroled in 2011 following seven years in prison. He filled out 30 applications as a barber, a skill he learned while locked up. He remained unemployed. Everywhere he went, his past convictions stopped employers from even considering him, reports Kay Wicker for thinkprogress.org. These circumstances are anything but unusual. One in five Californians have convictions, according to a report published by … [Read more...] about Collateral consequences of incarceration still linger
Texas program produces more than 350 entrepeneurs from prison
Texas has graduated more than 2,000 individuals from a prison entrepreneurship program. Upon release, some of these graduates have gone on to create more than 350 businesses in their local communities, according to The Crime Report. All 2000 of the individuals who graduated from Texas’ Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) were employed or self-employed within 90 days of their release from jail. Most of them have retained their employment for more than a year after obtaining the positions. The program has a low 7 percent recidivism … [Read more...] about Texas program produces more than 350 entrepeneurs from prison
The formerly incarcerated face uphill battle with education and work
The formerly incarcerated are often relegated to the lowest rung of the educational ladder, a recent report concludes. Prisoners and former prisoners “rarely get the chance to make up for the educational opportunities from which they’ve been excluded,” according to “Getting Back on Course: Educational exclusion and attainment among formerly incarcerated people,” published in prisonpolicy.org. “Education is especially critical for people seeking employment after release from prison,” the report stated. The October 2018 … [Read more...] about The formerly incarcerated face uphill battle with education and work
Organization helps newly released find jobs
A Michigan organization is working to help former prisoners succeed when they are released, flintside.com reports. “Prejudice against formerly incarcerated people makes it nearly impossible for them to get a job or rent an apartment,” said Leon El-Alamin, founder and executive director of MADE Institute. “A lot of what people think they know about the criminal justice system is outdated or just misguided, and that harms formerly incarcerated people who are trying so hard to turn their lives around,” El-Alamin said at the … [Read more...] about Organization helps newly released find jobs
UC Davis launches social media campaign to combat ex-prisoner perceptions
A group of formerly incarcerated university students is launching a social media campaign designed to combat society’s negative perceptions of ex-prisoners. The University of California at Davis students call their campaign “We Are All Students” (WAAS). The aim is to help others to respect former inmates for who they are as people. “We are producing a year-long social media campaign that conveys the social situations and experiences of people who attend higher education in the shadow of incarceration,” Zach Psick told the San Quentin … [Read more...] about UC Davis launches social media campaign to combat ex-prisoner perceptions
Prison to Employment Connection teaches returning citizens job skills
A record number of inmates at San Quentin State Prison completed the Prison to Employment Connection’s (PEC) eighth session and graduated in November. About 40 inmates finished the program. This gave them the opportunity to assess their employment interests, learn resume-writing and how to conduct themselves during an interview. Potential employers meeting with Prison to Employment graduates At employer day, the men spent two hours using what they learned on how to present themselves to more than 30 employers, … [Read more...] about Prison to Employment Connection teaches returning citizens job skills