“I know that I can do it, but having someone believe in you or give you that opportunity is what's difficult.” says Carlos regarding his post incarceration work experience.
About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have a criminal record. Although they often perform as well, or better, at work, stigma and prejudice has led to a national unemployment rate of over 27% among system-impacted people.
California's Fair Chance Act, enacted in 2018, strives to level the playing field, prohibiting employers from asking questions about a criminal record during most of the application process. This year, the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity launched an initiative to link employers and employees.
Photography by @be_dizzle
Reporting by @alishajucevic
Produced by @taskforce.us
For @countyofla@econoppla@_lacfairchance
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #california #losangeles #fairchancehiring
“People that are formerly incarcerated discipline themselves to show up on time, to prove that they can do the work. They can be the most trustworthy people,” says Pam regarding her post incarceration work experience. Sam Lewis, who manages Pam, says about 80% of his staff at @antirecidivismcoalition are formerly incarcerated, including himself.
About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have a criminal record. Although they often perform as well, or better, at work, stigma and prejudice has led to a national unemployment rate of over 27% among system-impacted people.
California's Fair Chance Act, enacted in 2018, strives to level the playing field, prohibiting employers from asking questions about a criminal record during most of the application process. This year, the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity launched an initiative to link employers and employees.
Photography by @be_dizzle
Reporting by @alishajucevic
Produced by @taskforce.us
For @countyofla@econoppla@_lacfairchance
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #california #losangeles #fairchancehiring
“System-impacted people are goal-oriented, and if you can teach somebody how to do it, they can become one of your best employees.” says Jack Morris, who has been home from prison for 5 1/2 years. He currently works as a Program Manager at St. John’s Community Health in Los Angeles with his manager Elena Fernandez.
About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have a criminal record. Although they often perform as well, or better, at work, stigma and prejudice has led to a national unemployment rate of over 27% among system-impacted people.
California's Fair Chance Act, enacted in 2018, strives to level the playing field, prohibiting employers from asking questions about a criminal record during most of the application process. This year, the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity launched an initiative to link employers and employees. Jack and Elena are one of many relationships formed through the new #FairChance Hiring Program.
Photography by @be_dizzle
Reporting by @alishajucevic
Produced by @taskforce.us
For @countyofla@econoppla@_lacfairchance
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #california #losangeles #fairchancehiring
“They didn't look at me for where I was. They looked at me for where I am.” says Vanessa Evenezer, who has been home from prison for 23 years. She currently works as a Maintenance Supervisor at LA County Parks with her manager Sheldon Solin.
About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have a criminal record. Although they often perform as well, or better, at work, stigma and prejudice has led to a national unemployment rate of over 27% among system-impacted people.
California's Fair Chance Act, enacted in 2018, strives to level the playing field, prohibiting employers from asking questions about a criminal record during most of the application process. This year, the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity launched an initiative to link employers and employees. Vanessa and Sheldin are one of many relationships formed through the new #FairChance Hiring Program.
Photography by @be_dizzle
Reporting by @alishajucevic
Produced by @taskforce.us
For @countyofla@econoppla@_lacfairchance
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #california #losangeles #fairchancehiring
“Employers should hire system-impacted folks because of that fire, that passion.” says Sithy Bin, who has been home from prison for 2.5 years. He currently works as a Case Manager at @friendsoutsidela with his manager Sonia Bell.
About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have a criminal record. Although they often perform as well, or better, at work, stigma and prejudice has led to a national unemployment rate of over 27% among system-impacted people.
California's Fair Chance Act, enacted in 2018, strives to level the playing field, prohibiting employers from asking questions about a criminal record during most of the application process. This year, the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity launched an initiative to link employers and employees. Sithy and Sonia are one of many relationships formed through the new #FairChance Hiring Program.
Photography by @be_dizzle
Reporting by @alishajucevic
Produced by @taskforce.us
For @countyofla@econoppla@_lacfairchance
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #california #losangeles #fairchancehiring
“It was just a seed of hope. Somebody believed in me, and it created a tremendous domino effect because of that.” says Gloria Cabrera, who has been home from prison for 6 years. She currently works as a Legal Assistant at Yang Law Offices in Los Angeles with her manager Elizabeth Yang.
About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have a criminal record. Although they often perform as well, or better, at work, stigma and prejudice has led to a national unemployment rate of over 27% among system-impacted people.
California's Fair Chance Act, enacted in 2018, strives to level the playing field, prohibiting employers from asking questions about a criminal record during most of the application process. This year, the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity launched an initiative to link employers and employees. Gloria and Elizabeth are one of many relationships formed through the new #FairChance Hiring Program.
Photography by @be_dizzle
Reporting by @alishajucevic
Produced by @taskforce.us
For @countyofla@econoppla@_lacfairchance
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #california #losangeles #fairchancehiring
A Woman in the Outside (@awomanontheoutsidefilm ) is coming to Philly as part of the @phillyfilmfest on Oct 22+ 29! This film started as an @everydayincarceration project where we asked women across the country who supported their loved ones behind bars what *their* stories were. Seven years later this film, which premiered at @sxsw in March, tells the story of one Philly family striving to love in the face of a system built to break them. Link for tickets in bio, and more screenings coming in NY, LA, San Francisco and elsewhere.
Mychal Pagan, 36, rides the Long Island Railroad to visit his mother from Queens, to Long Island. He’s trying to make up for his years away. In October 2021, he visited his mother in Huntington Station. It was the first time he had seen her since school began, and he arrived clutching some window blinds he was to install at his sister’s house.
Growing up, Mychal was always the responsible big brother, the one who helped his mother — who was only 15 when she had him — raise his four siblings in tumultuous existence among homes and apartments on Long Island.By third grade, he said, he was changing diapers and burping babies while his mother worked overnight as a nurse’s aide. When Mychal went away, his family felt the loss.
“He was always a smart boy,” she said. “When something broke in the house, he wouldn’t throw it away, he’d fix it.”
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #newyork #covid #covidrelease #reentrymatters #collegeinprison #prisoneducation #thriveforlife #longisland #lirr #queens
Mychal is currently enrolled at NYU and has an interest in photography and filmmaking. His housemates, like Lawrence Posey, have become his collaborators. Mychal and Lawrence live in Thrive for Life Prison Project’s Ignacio House, which provides housing for formerly incarcerated individuals. They met while they were both serving time at Wallkill Correctional Facility.
In 2021, Mychal won a grant to produce a series of short films on the economic impact of incarceration: from the prisoners who are paid cents per hour for their labor, to the families who have to travel hours to visit relatives. “It costs to be in jail,” he said. “If the male of a household goes to prison, you remove that source of income from that household. He goes from a breadwinner to an expense. It’s a depressing paradigm shift.”
Photos @hanloveyoon
Writing David Gonzalez
For the @nytimes
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #newyork #covid #covidrelease #reentrymatters #collegeinprison #prisoneducation #thriveforlife #wallkill #costofincarceration
Mychal Pagan, 36, center, spends time with his mother, Miriam Pagan, 52, left, and sister, Channequa Rich, 32, right, at their mother’s home in Long Island, NY., on Saturday November 6 2021. Pagan’s mother had him when she was 15 and he was the oldest of four siblings. Pagan was incarcerated for 12 years and came home during the pandemic in April 2020.
“Everything shut down, so I had to reimagine what I was going to do with my life,” he said. “To everybody else on the outside, the pandemic was a nightmare. For me, it was an ideal situation to come home to.” In a quiet New York City, he was able to focus on school.
Photos @hanloveyoon
Writing David Gonzalez
For the @nytimes
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #newyork #covid #covidrelease #reentrymatters #family
Mychal Pagan, 36, gets ready in the morning in his room in the Bronx. Mychal currently lives in Thrive for Life Prison Project’s Ignacio House, which houses formerly incarcerated individuals while they are enrolled in college in New York City. The day Mychal got the key to his room, he felt relief for the first time in more than a decade.
Pagan was incarcerated for 13 years and was released during the pandemic in April 2020. While returning in a pandemic was difficult, Mychal found a silver lining: this small, nurturing community in the Bronx was accepted, providing him with a sanctuary to focus on his studies.
Photos @hanloveyoon
Writing David Gonzalez
For the @nytimes
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #prisonphotography #legacyofmassincarceration #massincarceration #prison #reentry #newyork #covid #covidrelease #reentrymatters #collegeinprison #thriveforlife
Genisis Goss waits for a light near Penn Station in New York City, NY. Even though she returned to a city where transgender rights are a topic of concern and advocacy, it is tough for her to get her bearings after being away for so long. She still experiences disrespect at the hotel in Middle Village when other residents use the wrong pronoun or her deadname.
Photos @hanloveyoon
Writing David Gonzalez
For the @nytimes
#everydayincarceration #everydayeverywhere #legacyofmassincarceration #reentryphotography #prisonphotography #newyorkcity #reentry #reentrymatters #transrights
