BELOVED COMMUNITY: SOCIAL ENGINEERS FOR TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE
“A Social Engineer [is] a highly skilled, perceptive, sensitive [person] who [understands] the Constitution of the United States and [knows] how to explore its uses in the solving of problems of local communities and in bettering conditions of the underprivileged citizens.” - Charles Hamilton Houston
“The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform [foes] into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Houston and King were social engineers, among others, that set the precedence on how to effectuate transformative change. We are the social engineers of our time; we can’t afford to be complacent.
THE CITY OF BOSTON PROCLAMATION
Whereas: More than 3,000 people return to the City of Boston annually upon release from incarceration, and approximately 74% of the people under correctional control in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are on probation and parole; AND
Whereas: In theory, probation and parole were instituted for rehabilitation and decarceration, but in practice are extended punishments and pipelines for imprisonment; AND
Whereas: The justice-involved are subject to more than 44,000 collateral consequences and less than 25% of employers in the Commonwealth hire individuals without a high school or equivalency diploma. Thus, a holistic perspective of correctional control will underscore the most salient reentry challenges; AND
Whereas: It is incumbent upon us to uphold the fidelity of the Commonwealth’s commitment to create equitable and inclusive opportunities for returning citizens to thrive and contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the City of Boston; AND
Whereas: There is a civic responsibility for social engineers to create a Beloved Community that raises public awareness of the debilitating effects of incarceration, harnesses private-public resources, identifies socioeconomic gaps, and advocates for second chances; NOW
Therefore, I, Kim Janey, Mayor of the City of Boston, do hereby proclaim May 16, 2021 to May 22, 2021 to be:
Second Chance & Reentry Week
in the City of Boston.
I urge all of my fellow Bostonians to join me in recognizing the significance of this important week and the opportunities it represents for the justice-involved and our collective humanity.
All events are FREE & VIRTUAL
RECKONING WITH OUR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY: REMEMBER THE IMPRISONED
A keynote address that illuminates how profoundly efficacious faith and being proximate to people, can radically transform our justice system. The privileged seat of proximity reveals the ubiquitous yet unique brokenness of our humanity juxtaposed with God’s redemptive, restorative and merciful justice. The keynote speaker emboldens us to make God’s love the measure by which we measure how we treat the justice-involved, and to remember the imprisoned as if we were together with them (Hebrews 13:3).
Monday, May 17, 2021
1:00pm: Welcome and Opening Remarks
1:05pm: Keynote Speaker
1:50pm: Q&A
2:00pm: Closing Remarks and Announcements
SOCIAL ENGINEERS FOR SECOND CHANCES: CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, PROCEDURAL JUSTICE AND POLICIES
A panel discussion that illuminates the stark dichotomy of the labor market to exclude and extract employment opportunities from the justice-involved with attended adverse socioeconomic effects. Whereas more than 3,000 people return to the City of Boston annually from the carceral system, and are subject to more than 44,000 collateral consequences, the panelists underscore current efforts, both local and national, to harness private-public resources and effectuate change on systems and policies for second chances.
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
1:30pm: Welcome and Opening Remarks
1:35pm: Panel Discussion
2:20pm: Q&A
2:30pm: Closing Remarks and Announcements
BELOVED ARTS EXHIBITION: EXPRESSION AS A PRAXIS OF LIBERATION
A curatorial collaboration of incarcerated men and women at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department and students at Boston University who explore the praxis of liberation through expressive arts at the nexus of mental, emotional and spiritual health. The artists' pursuit of identity within community calls for embodied empathy and humanity, the spirit and essence of Beloved Community, toward the point of convergence - love. Their art of storytelling, visual and performance, galvanizes people to revolutionize whose stories are told and how voices are amplified in our collective pursuit of liberation.
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
7:00pm: Welcome and Opening Remarks
7:05pm: Performance Arts
7:15pm: Transition / Virtual Exhibition
7:20pm: Visual Arts
7:45pm: Panel Discussion
8:15pm: Q&A
8:30pm: Closing Remarks and Announcements
THE PERILS AND PROMISES OF EDUCATION: SECONDARY ED TO SECOND CHANCE PELL
A panel discussion that illuminates the transformative power of education as a prophylactic measure to reduce recidivism rates, restore human dignity and empower individuals to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of their communities. Educators examine the devastating effects of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, colloquially known as the 1994 Crime Bill, that prohibited access to Pell Grants for incarcerated students as part of an effort to propagate “tough on crime” policies. Albeit the decision repealed the 1965 Higher Education Act that democratized access to higher education, the 2015 Second Chance Pell (SCP) Experimental Sites Initiative temporarily reinstated Pell access for some confined learners and set the precedence for the restoration of Pell Grants in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
Thursday, May 20, 2021
1:30pm: Welcome and Opening Remarks
1:35pm: Panel Discussion
2:20pm: Q&A
2:30pm: Closing Remarks and Announcements
SCANNING FOR JUSTICE THROUGH NEUROLAW: COMPLEX TRAUMA - TO - PRISON PIPELINE
A panel discussion that illuminates the debilitating effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the symbiotic relationship between complex trauma and imprisonment, and the emerging intersection of neuroscience and law to transform the criminal justice system. Acknowledging the predisposition of trauma to transmit when adequate services are not rendered juxtaposed with the principles of neuroplasticity to help people recuperate, experts provide practical steps for coping and self-care during these unprecedented times.
Friday, May 21, 2021
1:30pm: Welcome and Opening Remarks
1:35pm: Panel Discussion
2:20pm: Q&A
2:30pm: Closing Remarks and Announcements
GET CONNECTED: COMMUNITY JOB FAIR & EDUCATION/RESOURCE FAIR
Attend these FREE, VIRTUAL CORI-friendly events to learn about job openings, education and training opportunities, and skills for landing a job. All are welcome!
WORKSHOPS: LEARN A SKILL
WHY & HOW TO CREATE A RESUME
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Learn the purpose of a resume, understand how it’s used, and start to organize your experiences into a basic resume format. Sample resumes will be shared, too.
INTERVIEW BASICS
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Be prepared and confident for your next job interview! Learn about types of interviews, interview etiquette, proper responses, and “end of interview” strategies.
JOB FAIR PREP
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
The best job candidate is a prepared candidate. Learn all of the key factors to making a good impression before, during, and after the virtual job fair.
FAIRS: GET CONNECTED
COMMUNITY JOB FAIR
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Looking for a job? Learn about job openings with local employers and submit your resume for positions that interest you.
EDUCATION / RESOURCE FAIR
Friday, May 21, 2021
Get connected with organizations that offer education opportunities, job training, and critical resources.
SCARW 2021 SPEAKERS
Select this link to view the speakers.
REGISTRATION
Select the "Register" tab and register for the events separately.
LOGISTICS
Select the "Get There" tab for more information.
ORGANIZER
BeProximate Center for People | Transformative Justice | Faith: BeProximate seeks to effectuate change at the nexus of education and criminal justice by attending to People, advocating for Transformative Justice, and anchoring in Faith. BeProximate activates policy-oriented discourse that galvanize people to extend their politics beyond the confines of their personal proclivities, experiences and comforts to deconstruct institutions of inequities and democratize justice with empathy and inclusion. A central premise of BeProximate is that it is our civic responsibility to harness our resources to equip people with the tools to unearth the best versions of themselves.
PARTNERS
Suffolk County Sheriffs Department (SCSD): SCSD is mandated to ensure and enhance public safety for the citizens of Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop. Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins oversees the Suffolk County Jail, the House of Correction, and the Suffolk County Community Corrections Center. The efforts of the operations and custody staff at all Sheriff’s Department facilities remain committed to the needs and changes of offender populations, rehabilitation and reentry services.
The Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens (ORC): ORC was established under Boston’s Mayor Martin J. Walsh in October 2017. The ORC assist Returning Citizens to reclaim their dignity and purpose while rebuilding their lives through positive choices, incentives, and opportunities. ORC is Boston’s dedicated municipal entry point for formerly incarcerated citizens and their families impacted by incarceration, seeking assistance with housing, employment, healthcare, and education. Through intentional partnerships, peer mentorships and case management, the ORC connect Returning Citizens to a vast network of service providers while identifying and addressing gaps in service delivery.
The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD): OWD is an innovative public agency that seeks to promote economic self-sufficiency to ensure the full participation of all Boston residents in the city’s economic vitality and future, seeking to connect low-income residents with job training and employment opportunities and to promote lifelong literacy and educational pathways. The primary focus of OWD is to enable competitive workforce development initiatives and policies to put Boston’s youth and adults on career paths toward economic security. While OWD continues to support adult basic education, ESOL and Hi-set related programs, OWD stresses the importance of collaboration with the city’s workforce development and education initiatives, with an overall emphasis on empowering Bostonians to fulfill their educational and employment aspirations.
The Mayor’s Office of Public Safety (OPS): OPS studies, develops, and puts in place violence intervention and prevention programs and policies.
Street Outreach, Advocacy and Response (SOAR BOSTON): brings an evidence-based approach to reduce recidivism, intervene in violent activity, and create pathways for active gang-involved youth and young adults in the City.
MassHire Downtown Boston: Masshire prides itself on providing top quality service to customers – both jobseekers and employers. Jobseekers benefit from the staff’s understanding of current hiring practices, which enhances the quality of workshops and the career counseling services. Employers benefit from the career center’s ability to connect them with qualified jobseekers, particularly through industry-specific job fairs and recruitments.
Mass Cultural Council: MCC works to elevate our rich cultural life in Massachusetts. MCC partners with communities across the Commonwealth to expand access, improve education, promote diversity, and encourage excellence in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Through our efforts, we make our state a better place to live, work, and visit for everyone.
