Whereas: More than 3,000 people return to the City of Boston each year upon release from federal, state, county, and juvenile detention facilities; AND

Whereas: The returning citizens will be a part of the 5.3 million New Englanders with criminal records subject to more than 3,500 collateral consequences not limited to housing, education, health and employment; AND

Whereas: It is incumbent upon us to uphold the fidelity of Boston'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: The City of Boston established the Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens to facilitate a seamless transition for returning citizens by coordinating existing resources, identifying resource gaps, and advocating for second chances; AND

Whereas: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts' landmark Criminal Justice Reform Bill (Senate, No. 2371) includes myriad policy changes, raises public awareness of the debilitating effects of incarceration and cultivates a sense of urgency for action and accountability; NOW

Therefore, I, Martin J. Walsh, Mayor of the City of Boston, do hereby proclaim May 19th to May 25th 2019 to be:

Second Chance And 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 our fellow men, women and young adults of the City of Boston.

ADMISSION COST

All events are FREE

*SCHEDULE

THE STATE OF REENTRY FORUM

A panel discussion that seeks to illuminate the omnipresent structural history of injustice, address the salient issues of reentry for men and women, highlight success stories due to the unprecedented depth of effective programming, and discuss the transformative power of faith and being proximate to people.

Tuesday, May 21st: The Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens (map)

6:00pm: Check-in, Munch and Mingle
6:30pm: Welcome, Opening Remarks and Context Setting
6:45pm: Panel Discussion
7:30pm: Q & A
7:45pm: Closing Remarks
7:55pm: Announcements and Wrap-up

REVERSING THE NARRATIVE: PRISON-TO-SCHOOL PIPELINE

A panel discussion that seeks to illuminate the symbiotic relationship between schools and prisons, confront narratives of racial injustice, co-construct a reversed narrative to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, address the salient issues of reentry for youth, highlight success stories due to the unprecedented depth of effective programming, and discuss the transformative power of faith and being proximate to people.

Wednesday, May 22nd: More Than Words (map)

6:00pm: Check-in and Mingle
6:30pm: Welcome, Opening Remarks and Context Setting
6:45pm: Panel Discussion
7:30pm: Q & A
7:45pm: Closing Remarks
7:55pm: Announcements and Wrap-up

REENTRY HACKATON: CIVIC HACKING IS CIVIL (Idea Development)

A city-wide event that seeks to convene and connect anyone and everyone – Civic Hackers – to co-create cross-sector solutions that will hack our City’s most salient reentry challenges in housing, employment, health, and education. Part I will focus on Idea Development.

Thursday, May 23rd: Impact Hub Boston (map)

5:30pm: Check-in, Munch and Mingle (bring your own food)
6:00pm: Welcome, Opening Remarks and Context Setting
6:30pm: Idea Development (ID) Sessions (4 Civic Hacker Teams - Housing, Employment, Health and Education)
8:00pm: ID Presentations
8:20pm: Closing Remarks
8:25pm: Announcements and Wrap-up

REENTRY HACKATON: CIVIC HACKING IS CIVIL (Prototype Development)

Please note that the winning team was selected during last night's event - Team Housing! Thus, we have decided to continue the next phase without the need to host Part II. Thank you for your interest. We hope to see you during Saturday's event - A Day of Inclusion.

A DAY OF INCLUSION: HELPING RETURNING CITIZENS

A fun-filled day with returning citizens, their families and support networks that will place emphasis on productive citizenship through full integration and holistic health and wellness.

Saturday, May 25th: Cambridge College (map)

8:00am: Check-in and Breakfast
9:00am: Welcome
9:15pm: Opening Remarks and Context Setting
9:30pm: The Black Superhero Project Presentation
10:00am: Breakout Sessions I
Victory Lap: Job Readiness Strategies
Off the Record: Seal & Expunge
Double Up: Mental Health & Wellness
10:45am: Transition
11:00am: Breakout Sessions II
It Starts with You: Mediation and Pro-social Relationships
Dedication: Physical Health & Wellness
11:45am: Transition
12:00: Lunch
12:45pm: Transition
1:00pm: Employment & Resource Fair and Family Activities
3:15pm: Second Chance Car Presentation and Giveaway
3:30pm: Closing Remarks and Wrap-up

#SCARW SPEAKERS

Select this link to view the speakers.

REGISTRATION

Select the "Register" tab and register for the events separately. It is HIGHLY recommended that you attend all of the events.

DIRECTIONS

Select the "Get There" tab for each event's location and address.

ORGANIZERS

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.

The Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens: The Mayor’s Office of Returning Citizens 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.

The Mayor’s Office of Returning Citizens 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.

CFC40: CFC40 is the non-profit brainchild of civil-rights attorney and activist Charles Coleman Jr. CFC40 partners with local organizations and organizers in different locations to support their currently existing efforts. The Black Superhero Project is the opening program of CFC40 and involves CFC40 activating 10 community service initiatives in 10 different cities.

United States District Court - District of Massachusetts: The federal district court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is one of 94 United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals based in downtown Boston at the John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse. There are two other courthouses in Worcester and Springfield, Massachusetts.

Second Chance Cars: Second Chance Cars is an organization that provides refurbished cars to worthy returning citizens and low-income veterans at a subsidized cost.

**PARTNERS

Impact Hub Boston • More Than Words • Vital Village • Cambridge College • The Phoenix • Mass Mentoring Partnership • Community Work Services • Boston Area Rape Crisis Center • Lawyers Clearinghouse (Access to Justice Fellows Program) • New England Center for Arts and Technology • Community Resources for Justice