Help Ex-Convicts Re-Enter Society (Yumi) A few years ago, I was at the downtown Fourth Avenue Street Fair, helping collect signatures for a petition. Toward the end of my shift, I was drawn to a group of men handing out water to pedestrians. I walked up to them and asked for signatures. One of the men responded without skipping a beat, “We can’t sister. We’re cons.” “What do you mean, cons?” I asked. “You’re out here serving water.” “Okay. Ex-cons. We’ve been busted with the law so we can’t vote.” I replied, “We’ve got to change that. Our community needs your vote. We need you, IF you want to come back to society.” The man looked at me, “Yeah, whatever. Society don’t want us.” I have yet to make good on that promise, but I’d like to begin today. For starters, what organizations, here in Tucson, and state and nationwide, assist ex-convicts with housing and employment — help integrate them back into society? We DON’T need more inmates. We NEED more opportunities — for all who are willing and able — to use their talents and gifts, to prosper our community. ********* Ex-cons find help re-entering society with new Bronx community program After being hauled off to jail for the 26th time, capping a criminal career spanning 16 years, Ramon Semorile looked back on his life and saw nothing. I couldnt continue doing the same thing over and over, because I would end up in jail all my life or I was gonna get killed, said Semorile, 51. Thats when I decided to change my life. Semorile said the road he took may have been different had there been a similar group at the time. He received job training at a transitional facility and he has been a crew supervisor at Bronx Community Solutions for five years, guiding petty criminals coming out of arraignment. I tell them, It doesnt matter how many times you got arrested, its what you do after the arrest, he said. I always try to grab that one that really wants to change their life. nydailynews/new-york/bronx/ex-cons-find-re-entering-society-new-bronx-community-program-article-1.126237
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 13:21:02 +0000
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