#WORKINGfuture

Everyone deserves a second chance in the United States, and the right to work and to support themselves and their families — but for the 70 million people living with a criminal record in the U.S., the penalties of a conviction last far beyond the sentence. Indeed, there are at least 45,000 laws or statutes that restrict and diminish the lives and redemptive potential of people with a record.

The #WORKINGfuture campaign is committed to eliminating the devastating barriers to health, housing, and work while restoring basic human dignity to all.

Led by JustLeadershipUSA, and in partnership with directly impacted communities, the #WORKINGfuture campaign seeks to eliminate the barriers to employment that people with records are facing.

For example, in a victory for Michigan, Statewide Organizer Hakim Crampton and the #WORKINGfuture campaign, the Michigan House of Representatives approved a bill this year making it easier for people with a conviction history to get occupational licenses.

In addition, last year, Columbia, South Carolina passed a ban the box law prohibiting employers — including private employers — from inquiring about a job applicant’s conviction history on an initial job application. JLUSA’s Statewide Organizer, Lester Young, organized with the local community to help make this law a reality. Since launching in January 2019, the campaign has spurred ban the box victories in five cities: Columbia, Irmo, Richland, Aiken and Orangeburg.

The #WORKINGfuture campaign builds power within and among impacted communities to challenge legislative barriers that exclude people from the future they deserve, and transform the narrative about the lifelong impacts of collateral consequences on people, families, and communities.

There are thousands of unfair, unnecessary, & unjust barriers keeping people from meaningful employment. All workers have a right to earn a wage that allows them to support themselves and their families, and to build economic mobility. Rhode Island urgently needs occupational licensing reform if we are to create a #WORKINGfuture for all.

Resources

The #WORKINGfuture campaign is led by people with records organizing to challenge and remove the devastating policies that create barriers and exclude us from employment, food access, housing, voting, and other basic human and civil rights. We believe that everyone deserves access to affordable basic services, safety in their communities, and dignity in their lives — no matter where we live or what our record states.

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The New Standard of Economic Justice

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The mass criminalization of our communities is nothing new. Check out our historical timeline of the modern era of mass criminalization beginning in 1960.

Everyone deserves a #WORKINGfuture

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We believe that narrative story telling is a powerful tool which can sway public opinion and create the political environment to pass legislation that begins to truly affect the lives of people directly impacted by systems of mass criminalization.

As a coalition, we have created a survey that we hope you will share with your networks. The survey is designed to gather information about the experiences of formerly incarcerated people and people with convictions with collateral consequences. We hope to use the results to generate a multimedia story-telling platform that can begin to convey why it is urgent to expand and automate expungement.

Take the Survey

Join us for a 10-part webinar series on our #WORKINGfuture campaign’s Bill of Rights for Criminalized Workers

Watch the first three below:

The Right to Human Dignity and People-First LanguageThe Right to Earn A Living WageThe Right to Education and Access to Technology

In Michigan, the #WORKINGfuture campaign partners with local organizations led by directly impacted people to demand an end to the criminalization of people in this state.

We organize to:

  • Expand and automate expungement to reflect the needs of the communities most harmed by mass criminalization.
  • Support the enactment of fair housing ordinances that will allow people with records to access safe, clean, and affordable housing.
  • Support House Bill 4326 to “ban the box” on public and private employers in Michigan.

Michiganders with records have a right to meaningful employment, affordable basic services, and dignity.

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In Rhode Island, the #WORKINGfuture campaign partners with local organizations led by directly impacted leadership to demand an end to the criminalization of people in this state.

We organize to:
– End blanket exclusions of people with records from obtaining occupational licenses.
– Support Rhode Island’s House Bill 5863 and Senate Bill 610.
– Promote economic and racial justice in communities most harmed by mass criminalization.

Rhode Islanders with records have a right to meaningful employment, affordable basic services, and dignity.

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In South Carolina, the #WORKINGfuture campaign partners with local organizations led by directly impacted people to demand an end to the criminalization of people in this state.

We organize to:

  • Support comprehensive fair hiring ordinances at the municipal and county level.
  • Pass House Bill 3463 to “ban the box” for state employment.
  • Promote economic and racial justice in communities most harmed by mass criminalization.

South Carolinians with records have a right to meaningful employment, affordable basic services, and dignity.

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