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DC PROJECT CONNECT CELEBRATES THE EMPOWERING LIVES PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM Celebrating 100 Graduation Rate Pilot Mentor Program SUPPORTING FAMILIES OF THE INCARCERATED THROUGH EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES DC Project Connect Figure 1 G Johnson Exec Dir DCPC J Penca Exec Dir Fairview D Cooper President Pepco A HartJohnson President DCPC left to right Celebrates The Empowering Lives Mentorship Program at The Fairview On August 16 2016 DCPC recognized the graduates of the 2016 Empowering Lives Pilot Mentor Program at The Fairview Residential Reentry Center The pilot program exceeded our anticipated goals Issue 102 DC Project Connect Celebrates the Empowering Lives Pilot Mentor Program WWW DCPROJECTCONNECT COM and all Fairview participants finished without infractions that often times return women back to prison Testimonials from both our volunteer mentors as well as the graduates affirmed the commitment compassionate support encouraged family reintegration as just some of the hallmarks of the pilot The pilot program comprised 4 mentors from the business community and 4 mentees returned citizens from The Fairview The planning phase took place between October and January 2016 This period was followed by mentor recruitment screening background processing and training During May through August 2016 DCPC held mentor orientation implemented our pilot group workshops provided one on one mentormentee engagement virtual mentoring as well as on site Fairview workshops and guest speaker segments The award ceremony included a keynote presentation from our sponsor PEPCO Dr Donna Cooper Pepco President D C Region offered warm and empowering guidance to the graduates Dr Cooper s presence along with all of the other positive and charismatic females at the ceremony gave testament to the potential and kinetic power of womanhood Figure 2 Dr Vernelle Brown Mentor Coordinator DCPC Board Member front with Dr Hart Johnson No resident photos are shown in this article to protect their anonymity DCPC recognizes and offers heartfelt thanks to PEPCO The Fairview administrators and staff Dr Brown DCPC Board of Directors Mr and Mrs Reynolds working group see last page and our dedicated mentors and graduates for making this pilot program a success Our next mentor program will begin late fall 2016

DC PROJECT CONNECT CELEBRATES THE EMPOWERING LIVES PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM Issue 102 Board Member Status DC Project Connect is pleased to introduce two new board members to our organization Vernelle Brown Ph D and Robert Powitzky Ph D Dr Brown was the former president of the St Vincent DePaul Society Most recently she was the Coordinator for the DCPC Pilot Mentorship Program shown above Dr Powitzky is a clinical and forensic psychologist His experience in criminal justice spans over 40 years in a wide variety of federal and state correctional leadership positions We look forward to tapping into the wealth of knowledge and experience that each of these individuals offer board member Philip Fornaci to create initial versions of the handbook This handbook is designed to assist families of the incarcerated with information concerning the various stages of the incarceration continuum For example at the time of arrest family members may not know where to turn or even how to navigate the criminal justice system in the DC area This guide provides user friendly language to help families with these challenges This work complements existing guides and provides reference to existing resources DC Project Connect Pending Research International Travel The Executive body of DCPC anticipates future travel to the United Kingdom to conduct exploratory research DCPC hopes to continue shape future local discussion with regard to social justice issues related to the adverse impacts of incarceration on families and children More to come stay tuned DCI Presentation on NonTraditional Jobs for Residents at The Fairview Figure 3 Dr Robert Powitzky Our current Board Advisors consists of Philip Fornaci Executive Director Employment Justice Center Ro Clausen CEO Strong Prison Wives Families Charles Hart Federal IT Consultant and DCPC Treasurer Rose Watkins Change Management Consultant and DCPC Secretary Vernelle Brown Community Relations Board Board Advisor Robert Powitzky Federal State Psychologist Avon Hart Johnson PhD Researcher Human Services Practitioner and DCPC President and Geoffrey Johnson Auditor Investigator and DCPC Executive Director DC Project Connect Family Handbook on The Incarceration Crisis Peer Review The Public Defender Service Ms Betsy Biden has agreed to peer review the DC Project Connect Family Handbook Surviving A Loved Ones Incarceration As previously reported executive director Geoffrey Johnson worked diligently with DCPC extended an invitation for Mr Pedro Alfonso Dynamic Concepts Inc DCI to be a guest speaker for an audience of female returning citizens at The Fairview located at 1430 G Street N E Washington D C The presentation occurred on August 03 2016 and approximately 25 women attended the event Figure 4Mr Pedro Alfonso DCI CEO Mr Alfonso explained that DCI is a mid size company whose clients and projects include the Washington Nationals Major League Ballpark FedEx Field Verizon Center Robert F Kennedy Memorial Stadium Martin Luther King Jr Memorial National African American Museum 2 and parking meters and surveillance cameras located in Washington DC Mr Alfonso advised that DCI employs persons who care can work with others team players have interpersonal skills are reliable and flexible and are willing to take on new challenges to advance their own skill sets Finally he stressed the benefits of serving others DCI partners with the District of Columbia s Department of Employment Services DOES to assist hard to employ residents with training and employment opportunities DOES facilitates a Project Empowerment Program which is a transitional employment program that provides job readiness training work experience and job search assistance to DC residences Although the program is not intended to be exclusively for returned citizens the empowerment program has been an excellent resource for individuals who would otherwise have difficulty obtaining jobs to acquire requisite training and skills Questions and feedback from female attendees disclosed great interest in the DCI DOES apprenticeship and empowerment program construction employment opportunities e g flagging as well as other nontraditional jobs for women Mr Alfonso s presentation was an inspiration to all and a testament to acquiring the building blocks to success DC Project Connect The Fairview Beautification Project Children s Corner DC Project Connect DCPC in collaboration with The Fairview Community Relations Board of Directors Safe Shores and the DC Public Defender Service PDS partnered to facilitate a beautification project at the The Fairview Residential Reentry Center The heart and soul of the project will create a children s corner at the facility

DC PROJECT CONNECT CELEBRATES THE EMPOWERING LIVES PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM Issue 102 Dr Hart Johnson and Fairview Board Advisor Ms Helen Charles obtained donated paint and supplies from the Home Depot Rhode Island Ave and Lowes Largo MD Ms Betsy Biden PDS facilitated the contribution of children s toys and furnishings Ms Erica Drucker Safe Shores assisted with the acquisition of a children s recliner release this book for a parent child focus group during the late fall 2016 Call to action This book will be distributed to children and parents at no cost To contribute to the campaign to fund this project visit www dcprojectconnect org and click the donate button Please support our efforts The Fairview residents participated in planning meetings for this beautification project Thereafter on summer weekday evenings and weekends The Fairview staff and residents DCPC and PDS officials including an intern painted and remodeled the visitation area Reference The DCPC dream for family friendly space at The Fairview was realized through the leadership of Reverend Cheryl Mercer and approved by Mr Joseph Penca and Mr Mrs Reynolds As chairperson of the Community Relations Board Rev Mercer initiated the beautification project immediately after she and Dr HartJohnson had a brainstorming discussion She indicated that this project was once in the Fairview plans and now it is set into motion The Fairview staff residents and the aforementioned team members engaged in the transformation of this once drab space Dr Hart Johnson has also asked for a local artist to provide child friendly illustrations in this visiting area DC Project Connect Children Book DC Project Connect is pleased to announce the launch of our children s book on parental incarceration entitled Jamie s Big Visit 2016 Through this wonderfully illustrated book children and their non incarcerated caregiver will read about the chronicled journey of Jamie the bear whose dad went to prison This book is designed to reach an audience of children under 8 years old According to a recent Rutgers University study almost half of children with incarcerated parents are under 10 years old Dr Hart Johnson plans to Rutgers University 2014 Children and families of the incarcerated fact sheet DC Project Connect Crisis Management SIG C Training DC Project Connect continues to aid members of the D C community concerning questions about loved ones affected by criminal justice system issues and their related trauma consistent with symbolic imprisonment 2014 serving time on the outside Dr Hart Johnson has provided grief training to individuals and groups both virtually and in community settings DC Project Connect Board of Advisors Critiques on Criminal Justice 3 Why is it that America does not acknowledge their existence Or seek to provide support guidance funding at a global level for all of America to witness For these women every day is their personal 9 11 2001 Broad wide spread communications in a well respected journalistic forum are being discussed and acknowledged by the subscribers Recent articles written and published in the Washington Post are an indication that changes are taking place albeit slowly Let s be honest we know more needs to be done but we should relish in the progress being made Our continued focus support and advocacy for these silent minorities hopefully will result in a global recognition for the families impacted by female incarceration and imprisonment Let s strive to have America remember all lives impacted by the absence and loss of our female population ROSE WATKINS CHANGE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT DCPC BOARD SECRETARY PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY As the world watched and mourned the loss of life on 9 11 2001 Americans memorialized the 15th anniversary of the many heroes and survivors of this tragic day for America but yet each day in the life of the silent minority vast numbers of women are forgotten behind our prison walls Why is this not a tragedy to be remembered and recognized Are they not heroes and survivors in their own right Many have survived abusive relationships abandonment desertion and left to be ignored and alone while still being responsible for caring of loved ones keeping households stable and together attempting to raise fatherless children and grandchildren with little or no financial means or assistance Philip Fornaci Executive Director Employment Justice Center provided the following opinion piece D C S BAN THE BOX LAWS LACKS RIGOR In 2015 the District s Ban the Box law went into effect Somewhat similar to Ban the Box laws in other jurisdictions the law was intended to remove barriers in employment for people with criminal records The law makes illegal the practice of asking on an employment application whether the applicant has ever been charged or convicted of a criminal offense the box that is now banned Potential employers must first

DC PROJECT CONNECT CELEBRATES THE EMPOWERING LIVES PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM Issue 102 go through the interview process and make a conditional offer of employment before they are legally permitted to do a criminal background check If the background check reveals a conviction that bears on the job responsibilities and there are no clear extenuating factors e g a juvenile offense or a conviction decades old The employer is legally permitted to reject the applicant thereby reversing the earlier offer of employment If the rejected applicant requests it the would be employer must provide an explanation in writing Under no circumstances are employers permitted to take arrest records into account in making hiring choices That is the scheme but there are several problems with the D C law A May 2016 D C Inspector General IG report noted that the law has had a minimal impact on improving job prospects of people with criminal records There are several reasons for this including the widespread refusal of employers to comply and the lack of a meaningful enforcement mechanism Many large employers including popular fast food chains and others persist in illegally asking applicants about their criminal records The only remedy available to a job applicant is to file a complaint with the D C Department of Human Rights DHR however DHR is a chronically understaffed and under resourced agency According to the IG report among other issues complaints take a minimum of 9 months before they are investigated The D C Employment Justice Center EJC www dcejc org is proposing some specific reforms of the Ban the Box law including the addition of a private right of action This would allow job applicants who believe they have been victims of illegal discrimination to go to court Current law does not allow this option Additionally the EJC is seeking to expand the reach of the law which currently only covers employers with more than 10 employees Several DC Council members have expressed support for these reforms But even a well designed Ban the Box law is unlikely to have a huge impact on the job prospects of people with criminal records particularly those returning from incarceration Many employers routinely and illegally do online searches of job applicants backgrounds the D C Superior Court website allows for a summary search by name and other local courts provide more online detail However even more discouraging is that discrimination based on an applicant s criminal record is widely believed to be rooted in racism and racial bias This is why the U S Equal Employment Commission found that bans on hiring people with criminal records violate civil rights laws This brings us back full circle to the old issues of race based hiring Yet even with these limitations it is worth the effort to try to fully implement the Ban the Box law We hope that it can help to erode the stigma against hiring people with a record and help to improve job prospects overall More importantly the effort to create a vehicle for organizing returning citizens can lead to broader awareness of the issue and hopefully the galvanizing of some political clout to this abused community Reform of Ban the Box is a small step toward the broader assertion of the human dignity of people with criminal records Hope in a Dark World 4 encouraging words from her older sister Among my unread messages was a text from my good friend a clemency outreach coordinator Ro Obama commuted 214 sentences today In a split second I typed and sent List He told me to hang on he didn t have access to the list of names yet Hang on Hang on to WHAT This could change my future I started Googling To be completely honest at first I figured my husband s name wasn t on the list I hadn t heard from him all day I m sure if he was I would have gotten a call My friend told me differently No One of my guys was on it and he didn t know for hours His attorney told him way after the fact Wait a second I thought back to our phone call the night before A cop screamed my husband s name from across the unit and he ended our call abruptly Could that have been the news My thoughts were racing So was my heart I emailed my husband s attorney He wasn t aware of the announcement I texted my husband s mom She knew nothing either BY RO CLAUSEN CEO STRONG PRISON WIVES DCPC BOARD MEMBER It was a sweltry morning Although it was still pretty early the first Wednesday in August was already living up to its muggy reputation I woke up to a text message from my younger sister Her friend had been brutally murdered in broad daylight on a local jogging trail I couldn t imagine losing someone close to me to an act so brutal at only 30 years old I shook off the sting of the news began comforting my emotionally rattled sister and started to get ready for work Just like every weekday when the clock hit 3 30 it seemed to freeze The clock agonizingly creeped towards quitting time and I checked my text messages for the umpteenth time that day Was my sister okay Did she need more I foolishly proceeded to text about 5 other people an attorney friend my best friend a few Strong Prison Wives Families volunteers Someone had to be able to help me get my hands on that list Within a few minutes I was emailed a link to the list of names with the subject Tell me if I need to bring you champagne or tequila Thank God for Google and for amazing girl friends My cheeks were on fire I tried to swallow hard enough to push the pulsating lump in my throat back into my chest cavity the place where my heart usually resided I took a deep breath my trembling hands were trying to guide my mouse to the right spot I clicked blinked my burning eyes a few times and began to scroll down the list He HAS to be on here

DC PROJECT CONNECT CELEBRATES THE EMPOWERING LIVES PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM Issue 102 Scrolling Ah What if he s on here I m not ready for this Scrolling Who cares if I m not ready we ll figure it out together He just needs to be on here Scrolling Ugh I m 3 4 of the way through Come on where s his name Scrolling Pull yourself together Ro You cannot cry at work I was sending my husband s play byplay text messages through textinmate com a new messaging app that syncs with his Corrlinks account I can t remember my exact final message but it was salty I was heartbroken and raw Then I had to turn over that salt shaker and sprinkle it into my wound I emailed the attorney texted my mother in law and those 5 other friends Today s not our day I blinked the mist out of my eyes and put on an empty smile until 5 00 Later that night my husband called As I answered the phone a tear filled word purge tumbled out of my mouth I don t want to be disappointed anymore I don t want to feel like this It is never going to happen I could feel my husband put up a wall Well then I guess all of this work toward our future is for naught It all seems pointless right now if you don t believe in it anymore He was as cold as an iceberg and like the Titanic after crashing into one my heart was quickly sinking Thanks I said with all the North Jersey sarcasm I could conjure Our call was terminated Fifteen minutes is never enough especially on rough days I shut off my phone turned out the lights and yelled toward the ceiling Why God We are such good people When is it going to be our turn I m so mad at you I wasn t truly angry with God I was exhausted by the broken criminal justice system a feeling that loved ones of the incarcerated know well Still I knew in my heart the Universe makes everything beautiful within its divine design Our time will come when its right In that moment I thought of my sister s friend who lost her life A young girl who innocently went out for a run would never have the chance to return home I thought of her poor family and the grief they were experiencing From that I gained clarity and a new perspective Sure visiting my husband in prison isn t the most ideal situation but its certainly better than visiting him in a cemetery I can still hold his hand hear the sound of his voice and make plans for our future As loved ones of the incarcerated there are many times we feel consumed by feelings of despair and depression It all seems hopeless in the dark worlds of politics and prison These are the times we need to rely on support systems like DC Project Connect and Strong Prison Wives Families Its never hopeless sometimes we just need a loving reminder You can survive 3 weeks without food You can survive 3 days without water You can survive 3 minutes without air But you cannot survive 3 seconds without hope Unknown Congressional Inquiry May Be Needed to Explore Law Enforcement Bias with Regard to African Americans Expressing Their Second Amendment Rights to Bear Arms GEOFFREY JOHNSON FORMER ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR INVESTIGATION PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING OPINION PIECE A commonly used law enforcement tag line suggests that African Americans with a hand gun or firearm are an imminent threat While the second amendment provides the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed this constitutional 5 privilege appears to have limitations and be judged on different terms by police even in state and local jurisdictions where citizens can openly possess and carry firearms With little concern of social intimidation National Rifle Association members and gun enthusiast demonstratively walk the streets and have recently armed college students However the repeated assassination of African American men suggests uneven police perceptions and a requirement for improved training and thorough updated assessment of deemed threats DCPC is looking for volunteers for the following positions Grant Writer Newsletter Editor Mentors 25 and Older Human Services Intern Bookkeeper Graphic Artist DC Project Connect is a nonprofit that provides all services to its constituents pro bono We are funded by community sponsors and grantors To volunteer contact dcprojectconnect gmail com

DC PROJECT CONNECT CELEBRATES THE EMPOWERING LIVES PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM Issue 102 Community Connections Figure 5 Congressman Danny Davis with a Copy of Dr Hart Johnson s Book The Symbolic Imprisonment of African American Women A legacy of mass incarceration 6 Fairview Children s Corner Beautification Project Figure 8Little Recliner for the Children s Corner Donation Coordinated by DCPC From Safe Shores for the children s corner at The Fairview Ms Erica Drucker We Thank You Figure 6 Dr Avon with Tokeitha Wilson Author and Active Mentor with DCPC Figure 9 Mr Geoff Johnson Exec Director DCPC with Councilman Vincent Gray DCI community event Figure 7 New Books for Children with Mom s incarcerated donation from the 1687 Foundation as coordinated by DCPC for the Figure 10 DCPC Tours Montgomery County Prerelease Center invitation via ReThink Justice Figure 11 Mural and Stencil featured on The Fairview Family Visitation Room WallRepresenting Family Unity Figure 12Rev Cheryl Mercer Hard at Work Painting the Rail Near the Information Wall at the Fairview

DC PROJECT CONNECT CELEBRATES THE EMPOWERING LIVES PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM Issue 102 7 Figure 13 Upper Lef to Right 3 Dr Tamara Williams Mentor Volunteer Tokeitha Wilson leading Vision Board Exercise Pic 2 Vision Board Pic Pic 4 Dr Avon Aundre Taylor Mentor volunteer Ms Casandra Allen lectern DCPC Advisory Board for Mentor Pilot and MC for Celebration Lower Left pic 1 Cake and Tokens of Appreciation Pic 2 Ms Casandra Allen and Dr Avon Pic 3 Dr Donna Cooper Lower Left Mr Joseph Penca receives recognition by Dr Avon Hart Johnson Ms Sharnikya Howard mentor bottom left Note Resident mentees are not featured to protect their anonymity Thank you DCPC Empowering Lives Mentor Pilot Working Group Ms Jacqueline Coates Ms Tracy Banks Mrs Casandra Allen Dr Vernelle Brown Mr Joseph Penca Mr Geoff Johnson Dr Hart Johnson Sponsor Pepco