Urban League Teams Up to Provide Career & Wellness Fair for Returning Citizens

By National Urban League
Published06 PM EST, Sat Dec 21, 2024
Second Chance Black Man.jpg

Thousands of people could be released from Virginia prisons this year, but opportunities can be hard to come by with a criminal record.

Many formerly incarcerated people grapple with the immediate need to secure housing, employment, income, and healthcare access. Legal restrictions and social stigma limit their access to jobs, homes, and education.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said more than 95% of prison inmates will reintegrate into neighborhoods and communities, so it's critical to help them reenter successfully.

"I think that our number one goal should be that if you've paid your debt to society and this is a new chapter in your life and you want to be a productive citizen, let's make sure you have those opportunities," Miyares said.

In hopes of giving people a true second chance after serving their sentences, Miyares is teaming up with the Urban League of Hampton Roads (Norfolk, VA) and Revive Community of Virginia to host the Returning Citizen Career and Wellness Fair in Norfolk. 

The event is being held in honor of Second Chance Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the consequences of a criminal conviction and unlock opportunities for formerly incarcerated people to get a fresh start.

Gil Bland, President and CEO of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, said the effort also lines up with the work and mission of his organization.

"For the Urban League, employment is one of our four pillars, along with education, health, and housing," Bland said.

He also connected the dots between one of those pillars -- education -- and incarceration. 

"Unfortunately, our young children, once they reach the third grade, their ability to read, or inability to read, helps determine how many prisons need to be constructed in the future," Bland said. "Because it's presumed if you can't read, you'll eventually drop out. And if you drop out, statistics suggest that 70% of dropouts end up being incarcerated."

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