The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a harsh light on the multiple ways that Black people and other people of color, who already predominate in lower-income rungs of the economy, have been disproportionately harmed by the health and economic crisis. The racial uprisings of 2020 also underscore how Black Americans are disproportionately targeted by law enforcement and criminalized in ways that can derail their future livelihoods. As we work toward an equitable recovery, it’s critical that we redouble our efforts to bring more of the 77 million Americans with criminal records into the labor force and on a trajectory of upward economic mobility.
Join leading thinkers from Blue Meridian Partners, the Center for Employment Opportunities, and the Clean Slate Initiative as they discuss opportunities to advance a “new normal” – one where it is mainstream practice for employers to hire and advance people, regardless of race or justice involvement, and ensure all have access to the skill-building, jobs, and supports to be on a pathway to employment and economic opportunity.
Panelists will spotlight an exciting philanthropic collaboration, the Justice and Mobility Fund, as well as engage in a dialogue with one another and participants about the powerful possibilities of an economic mobility-centered approach to justice reform. How can funders and others incentivize individuals and employers to fill market gaps for in-demand industries? What policy levers can be pulled to transform the job marketplace and create living-wage, growth-oriented careers for justice-involved individuals? What does investment in these kinds of demonstrated solutions look like at scale? These and other questions will open up the conversation and vision of actors in the criminal justice and employment space, unlocking the potential to transform the life trajectories of individuals, families and whole communities impacted by the criminal justice system.
