Join the Second Chance Hiring Alliance, the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce and the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice on Tuesday, April 29 from 2 to 6:30pm at the True Reformer Building for “Talent Beyond Barriers: A Business Exchange on Second Chance Hiring.” This exciting event celebrating Second Chance Month will include panels, expert speakers, and technical assistance/coaching for D.C.-based business owners and employers looking to hire justice-impacted workers. There will also be time for networking and a reception with other attendees including business leaders, employment professionals, policymakers, justice-impacted residents, and workforce development programs.

If you are a business owner or employer looking to implement or expand second chance hiring in your business, but need some advice and support, please sign up for one of our individual coaching sessions. Workforce development, financial, and human resources experts will be ready to provide you one-on-one support!

Our confirmed speakers and business coaches include:

• Brian Schwalb, D.C. Attorney General
• Robert White, D.C. Council Member
• Brooke Pinto, D.C Council Member
• Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes, Department of Employment Services
• Monica Colunga, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Gabi Smith, Career Shop DC
• Jonay Foster Holkins, Trendline Strategies LLC
• Joe Houston, WeFitDC
• Kenya Jenkins, Lillian’s Southern Box Catering
• Antwayne Ford, Enlightened
• Patricia Gill, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
• Lamont Carey, Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs
• Joel Castón, D.C. Sentencing Commission
  
• Lisa Clark, Industrial Bank
• Tanya Borachi, Federal City Council

Seats and coaching slots are limited, so please reserve your spot today!

On Wednesday, March 26, the Second Chance Hiring Alliance (SCHA) and our partners at the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC) cohosted a webinar releasing SCHA’s latest publication “The Workforce Solution: D.C. Employer’s FAQ for Second Chance Hiring.” This valuable resource provides answers to questions business owners and employers have about the legal requirements, financial incentives, and protections available to them as they expand their applicant pools through second chance hiring. Second chance hiring is the practice of hiring people with criminal records, including those who have experienced incarceration, otherwise known as “justice-impacted.” Learn more and watch the recording.

The Second Chance Hiring Alliance (SCHA) and the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC) hosted a webinar on November 19, 2024 where participants learned directly from business owners about the benefits of hiring individuals impacted by the criminal legal system and how SCHA could help you begin or expand your second chance hiring efforts.

Read more and view the recording.

SCHA staff joined this event hosted by GWBCC and talked to business owners from around the city about the benefits of second chance hiring. Learn more.

On April 25, the Second Chance Hiring Alliance, the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce, Free Minds Book Club, NYU Washington DC and the Council for Court Excellence’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Committee, hosted a special screening of the documentary District of Second Chances at NYU Washington DC’s Abramson Family Auditorium. This film highlights the experiences of three men from D.C. who were sentenced in their youth to life in prison who have since been released. Following the screening, we were joined by the subjects of the documentary, Anthony “Pete” Petty, Gene Downing, and Colie Levar Long, for a panel discussion moderated by the Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce.

This webinar featured Human Resources experts from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) discussing how DC residents can explore a career with the federal government, including job seekers who may have a criminal record. The webinar recording can be viewed on YouTube and here is a list of questions and answers shared by DOL (that we did not have time for on the webinar itself).