TruthToTell: April 2013–COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS III: Re-entry Issues for Ex-Offenders

This third edition of our Community Connections series program was recorded at Headquarters of Community Partner, Goodwill/Easter Seals. Production Partner St. Paul Neighborhood Network’s cameras are rolling and recording this show for airing tonight at 8:00 and beyond on both St. Paul’s cable Channel 19 and Minneapolis Telecommunications Network (MTN) Channel 16. And we will distribute this program widely throughout the Metro and Minnesota wherever we can.
We thank the Bush Foundation for its generous funding of this project.

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In recent years, many advocates, especially those in the landmark Minnesota-based Second Chance Coalition, have stepped to the plate to change the climate of post-incarceration or imprisonment to one of restoration. Restoration of the right to a job, to live somewhere affordable, and, finally, to vote again. In other words – a return to humanity and citizenship.

It’s been a long slog for these advocates, some working to transition offenders back into the outside world, some to find them jobs and housing, and still others who haunt those halls of the Capitol trying to change the ways laws deal with the restoration of what many consider to be human and/or civil rights.

Only education, involvement and the dropping of our prejudices about those who have paid their debts can we begin to see the fruits of our humanity.

TTT’S ANDY DRISCOLL and MICHELLE ALIMORADI host Part Three of our Community Connections series, funded by a grant from the Bush Foundation.

On-air guests:
SARAH CATHERINE WALKER – former Chief Operating Officer of 180 Degrees; Co-founding Co-chair of the Second Chance Coalition

STATE SEN. DAVE THOMPSON (R-Lakeville) – Assistant Minority Leader; Ranking Minority Member of the Tax Reform Division of the Senate Taxes Committee

MARK HAASE – Vice President for Projects and Operations at Council on Crime & Justice; Co-chair, Second Chance Coalition

ROB STEWART – University of Minnesota Doctoral Student in Sociology; Former Felon

We thank the staff of Goodwill/Easter Seals, especially Deanna Gulliford and Lisa Ritter, for their hospitality and recruiting much of the audience. The program began with a short video – which you can watch here.