Center for Justice & Economic Advancement (JFF)

🎉 Shoutout to our JFF teammates! 🎉 Our very own Shaun Libby, Rodney Spivey-Jones, Michael Fischer, and Joel Negron delivered impactful sessions at the Common Ground event in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Each shared personal and powerful testimonies from their lived experiences, bringing unique perspectives to essential topics such as #socialinteraction, meeting basic needs, #academic support, #technology, and #career preparation. Their stories set the stage for a five-session reentry track that launched meaningful discussions around #reentry and #reintegration. Their session focused specifically on ways #postsecondary institutions can strategically evaluate their current reentry services, build impactful #partnerships, and bridge gaps to support students’ transition from incarceration. Thank you, Shaun, Rodney, Michael, and Joel, for inspiring us all and sharing real stories and experiences to drive change. 💫 #CommonGround #PrisonEducation #FairChance #SuccessStory #JFFImpact

📅 If you're interested in submitting a proposal for a breakout session at Jobs for the Future (JFF)'s 2025 Horizons Summit in New Orleans, the deadline is November 8! #JFFHorizons #NormalizingOpportunity #FairChance #JFFImpact

🏛️ Governments aren’t just policymakers—they’re also major employers. How can we ensure they lead by example when it comes to fair chance hiring? At today's National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC) conference, the session "Unlocking Public Sector Jobs: Partnering with Government Employers on Fair Chance Hiring Initiatives" will explore how public sector employers embrace fair chance practices and set a standard for others to follow. Join JFF's Khalilah "KO" Olokunola, DeAndre Brown of the Shelby County Office of Reentry, David Carillo of Adams State University, Alexander Green of the U.S. Department of Labor, and Emily Shyu of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as they share insights on building partnerships with government HR departments to open up millions of quality public sector jobs for people with records. #FairChance #PublicSectorJobs #JFFImpact #NormalizingOpportunity

Economic advancement after reentry requires more than one organization—it takes a network of committed partners. If you're at today's National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC) conference, join JFF's Lisa Cohn Durkin and Shaun Libby at the collaborative space "Economic Advancement after Reentry: Activating Partners to Create a Fair Chance Ecosystem." The group activity and discussion will bring together experts to co-create strategies for strengthening partnerships with key groups: Departments of Corrections, researchers, employers, and higher education in prison programs. Join Lisa, Shaun, Ashley Furst of Breakthrough, and Tammy Ortiz of Ithaka S+R for a collaborative discussion on building an inclusive and effective reentry workforce ecosystem. 💭 Let’s reimagine what’s possible together! #FairChance #JFFImpact #NormalizingOpportunity

Being a fair chance employer isn’t a one-size-fits-all process—it's a journey. Join JFF's Lisa Cohn Durkin at today's National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC) session, "Unpacking the Fair Chance Employer Journey," where reentry workforce practitioners will learn practical tools to engage employers at every phase of their fair chance hiring journey. Join Lisa, Molly Verghese of Cara Plus, Elaine Ross of Cara Collective, and Beth Avery of National Employment Law Project (NELP) as they share strategies for cultivating interest, assessing current practices, and helping employers adopt inclusive hiring policies. 📅 Don’t miss this session to learn how we can help employers make a lasting impact! #FairChance hashtag#NormalizingOpportunity hashtag#JFFImpact

🔎 Understanding Collateral Consequences in Hiring 🔎 For individuals impacted by the justice system, the challenges don’t end with time served. Collateral consequences—barriers like housing, education, health, and employment—can have long-term effects on them, their families, and their communities. At this morning's breakout session at the National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC) conference, JFF's Khalilah "KO" Olokunola joined others in the panel "Inclusive Hiring with Confidence: Understanding Collateral Consequences" for a deep dive into how we can remove these barriers. Moderated by Taja Hereford from the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, this panel brings together leaders like Amy E. Braden, Ashley Furst, and Dr. Olokunola to discuss solutions that help build inclusive hiring practices. #FairChance #NormalizingOpportunity #JFFImpact

We are thrilled to host partners from postsecondary education, departments of corrections, and workforce organizations from 17 states across the country as we work to build fair chance ecosystems and design an exciting new initiative we are calling Fair Chance to Advance. Stay tuned for highlights from the 1.5-day event and more information as the initiative takes shape! #NormalizingOpportunity #JFFImpact #FairChance2Advance

Our new resource from the #NormalizingEducation Resource Center features powerful stories from three Unlocked Labs team members who turned tech training into thriving careers after incarceration. Their journeys highlight how programs like Unlocked Labs can transform lives by providing pathways to quality jobs in tech. Read more to gain insight into their experiences, advice for learners, and recommendations for corrections leaders and training providers on building stronger, more inclusive programs! https://hubs.la/Q02SmqCp0 #NormalizingOpportunity #JFFImpact #PrisonEducation #TechForAll

Excited to see the Incarcerated Scholars Conference centering and spotlighting the voices and experiences of incarcerated students—don’t miss this opportunity to learn directly from them! #NormalizingOpportunity #HigherEdInPrison

📣 Our new blog, “Unlocking Tech Job Opportunities for People With Records,” highlights how programs like Unlocked Labs create pathways to quality jobs for individuals impacted by the justice system. Tech careers offer a chance for economic advancement, but without access to digital learning, many are blocked out before they can even begin. Read more about how we’re working to change that, support talent development, and build a more inclusive tech workforce! #NormalizingOpportunity #JFFImpact #PrisonEducation