Success Story

A Man Released from Prison at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic Gets a Second Chance Through the Urban League of Louisiana

"It's been a long time since I'd been in school. I was nervous about being back in the classroom. I'd never heard of Zoom, so a virtual classroom made me more nervous. I didn't know a phone could do so much!

Louisiana has the country's highest incarceration rate. Many formerly incarcerated individuals rely heavily on workforce intermediaries like the ones at the Opportunity Center at the Urban League of Greater New Orleans. The Center at the League is one of four Opportunity Centers in New Orleans, created to help unemployed or underemployed job seekers, including those returning home after incarceration. The Center offers assistance with housing, transportation, childcare, education assistance, and skills training for those who did not attain a jobs certification while incarcerated.

48 year-old Keying Evans, or "Mango" as his family and friends call him never finished high school. While incarcerated he obtained his HiSET but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Keying was released and returned home on confinement. He enrolled into the League's virtual soft-skills training program and started his job hunt only a couple of weeks after completing the course.  

“While in the program, I learned to be a professional, show up early instead of on-time, communicate effectively, and work better with others," said Evans. “This program gave me the confidence to go on my first interview and get a job and the five weeks spent in the class was an investment, and worth it," he said.