August 22 • 2019 15
jn
jews d
in
the
Justice for All
Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity, JCRC/AJC
to launch criminal justice reform initiative.
T
he Coalition for
Black and Jewish
Unity and Jewish
Community Relations
Council/AJC (JCRC/
AJC) will host “Sentence
Served — Exploring
Barriers to Reentry” at 7
p.m. on Thursday, Sept.
5, at NOAH Event Venue
(26100 Northwestern
Highway) in Southfield.
The event will focus on
the complex set of barriers
that formerly incarcerated
individuals must navigate
following their release
from prison. From finding
employment and housing
to being accepted into
an institution of higher
learning, going back to
a “normal” life can be
nearly impossible.
The program will
feature a panel of experts,
including those who have
been incarcerated or close
to someone who was.
They will discuss what
they have experienced,
as well as challenges
and opportunities for
change. Moderated by
Jacob Smith, co-founder
of the “Returning
Citizen” podcast and
JCRC/AJC board
member, panelists will
include: Margrit Allen,
Detroit director of the
Center for Employment
Opportunities, which focuses on
providing job pathways for the
formerly incarcerated population;
Aaron Kinzel, professor of
criminology and criminal justice
at the University of Michigan-
Dearborn. Specializing in
corrections and public policy,
he grew up in a life of crime,
being locked up in multiple
juvenile detention facilities and,
later, spending more than half
of a 19-year sentence in adult
correctional facilities; and Michelle
Smart, founder of Bags
to Butterflies, which
empowers formerly
incarcerated women with
transitional employment,
resources and a caring
network immediately
upon their return to
the community from
incarceration.
The event marks the
official launch of the
Coalition and JCRC/AJC’
s
joint criminal justice
reform initiative.
“Reentry is an issue of
the utmost importance,”
said Rev. Deedee
Coleman of Russell
Street Missionary Baptist
Church and co-chair of
the Coalition for Black
and Jewish Unity. “How
we treat the vulnerable
is the measure of who
we are as individuals
and as a nation. These
individuals are parents,
children and siblings
who have served their
time. Now we must make
sure they have a place to
land.”
Added Jacob Smith,
“The U.S. has the highest
rate of incarceration in
the world. More than
10,000 individuals in the
U.S. return from prison
every week to rejoin us
as neighbors. When able
to find work, housing
and other basic support, they’
re
drastically less likely to commit
more crime. We all win when we
reduce barriers and help these
returning citizens be successful.”
The event is free, and a dessert
reception will follow. Advance
registration is encouraged as
seating is limited. Register at
barrierstoreentry.eventbrite.com.
For more information, contact
Lauren Herrin at herrin@
jfmd.org. ■
Margrit Allen
Aaron Kinzel
Michelle Smart
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JCRC/AJC
Jacob Smith
MAGEN DAVID ADOM
Det
r
oi
t
Event
Thur
sday,
Oct
ober
24,
2019
27375
Bel
l
Road
•
Southfiel
d,
MI
48034
7:00
p.m.
Pr
ogr
am
and
Keynot
e
Speaker
Honoring
Sandy and Ji
m Dant
o
Co-Chairs:
Lori
and
Steven
Weisberg
Keynote
Speaker
Br
et St
ephens
Pul
itzer
Prize-winning
col
umnist
at
the
NY
Ti
mes
For
tickets
and
sponsorships,
pl
ease
contact
Sharon
Kobernik
at
888.674.4871
or
skobernik@afmda.org.
afmda.org/detroi
t
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