Unlocked Futures: Cohort 1
Supporting entrepreneurs who have been impacted by incarceration
In America, a prison sentence all too often confers a lifetime stigma. Even after people have served their time, a criminal record can stand in their way of finding employment, due to a number of barriers, including formal job training, limited housing options, and lack of support for substance addiction or mental health issues, among others. In fact, 60 percent of formerly incarcerated individuals remain unemployed one year after their release. Because of the challenges associated with reentry in the workforce, entrepreneurship is often the most viable economic pathway for formerly incarcerated individuals – it creates opportunities for those with a criminal record to live with dignity, realize their potential, and return to their communities and families as leaders and role models. As part of John Legend’s mission to create thriving, just, and equitable communities, Unlocked Futures provides individuals who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system the opportunity to unlock their potential. In 2017, FREEAMERICA launched Unlocked Futures, an accelerator program that provides social entrepreneurs with a grant, tools, mentorship, and strategic support to help grow their businesses. In partnership with New Profit and founding support from Bank of America, we seek to redefine what success looks like, what a business owner looks like, and who a valuable member of a community can be.
Amanda Alexander, Detroit Justice Center
A family could be broken up over parking violations that became a missed court date, that became a warrant, that became incarceration. Instead of a school-to-prison pipeline, how do we set up a prison-to-higher-education pipeline or prison-to-job pipelines? Amanda Alexander As someone whose family was torn apart by incarceration, Amanda Alexander established the Detroit Justice…
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Dirk Van Velzen, Prison Scholars Fund
When you educate a person, they develop skills, they think differently… They contribute back to society, they don’t commit crimes, they support their family, their loved ones. That’s the power of education. Dirk Van Velzen Through Prison Scholars, and founding support from our partners at New Profit Inc. and Bank of America, Dirk Van Velzen…
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James Monteiro, ReEntry Campus
Education is proven to reduce recidivism. More education equals more money, [which] equals more freedom. James Monteiro James Monteiro founded Reentry Campus Program on the belief that education can create pathways to success. Thank you to our partners at New Profit Inc. and Bank of America for supporting James in providing both currently and formerly…
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Marcus Bullock, Flikshop
Education is proven to reduce recidivism. More education equals more money, [which] equals more freedom. James Monteiro James Monteiro founded Reentry Campus Program on the belief that education can create pathways to success. Thank you to our partners at New Profit Inc. and Bank of America for supporting James in providing both currently and formerly…
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Teresa Hodge, Mission: Launch
It’s fiscally irresponsible to leave people locked out of the workforce. A lot of individuals who go to prison are not going to be given a second chance to engage in the traditional workforce, and so it’s important that they have an opportunity to create work for themselves. Teresa Hodge Teresa Hodge’s organization, Mission: Launch,…
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Topeka K. Sam, Ladies of Hope Ministries
I believe that every woman in this country deserves safe housing… I would like Hope House to be known as a place where women can become whole again. Topeka K. Sam Topeka K. Sam asked herself what she could do to to help women re-enter society upon their release. Thanks to our partners New Profit…
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Will Avila, Clean Decisions
In prison, there’s two choices you’re gonna make: You’re gonna go to the yard, you’re gonna get tatted up or you can go to the library… If I can impact one person to not make a bad decision, that’s what I want to do.
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Jason Cleveland, Obodo
We’re unlocking the future of small nonprofits to raise more money, to impact more people, and to empower more communities. Jason Cleaveland As part of the inaugural cohort of #UnlockedFutures, and with support from our partners at New Profit Inc. and Bank of America, Jason Cleaveland founded Obodo to help small nonprofits leverage data to…
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