21 Apr 2015
John Legend and ARC Member James Anderson Discuss 2015 Survivors Speak ConferenceSinger John Legend got behind the microphone at the Sacramento Convention Center on Monday, not to perform, but to advocate for social change. “I don’t want to live in a nation that criminalizes addiction and poverty,” Legend said. He’s using his voice to call for less punishment for crime and more crime prevention. He addressed the audience at “Survivors Speak”, …
13 Apr 2015
Newt Gingrich: A Second Chance for Youth Offendersby Newt Gingrich Last month, I was honored to co-host an amazing and genuinely bipartisan summit on criminal-justice reform, along with my friends Van Jones, Donna Brazile, and Pat Nolan. Nearly 600 citizens from both parties came together to discuss real solutions for our country’s failing incarceration system. The day surfaced an extraordinary range of good ideas, but one in …
31 Mar 2015
After Lockup, a Question of CareThis article originally appeared on Juvenile Justice Information Exchange on March 30, 2015. Click here to view. by Lynne Anderson Louie Chagolla was in and out of trouble with the law for most of his teenage years. He was in lockup twice and, when not in lockup, he was on probation. Possession of a deadly weapon made the scared but tough-acting kid …
31 Mar 2015
From Gangs and Gladiator School to the LA Chamber of Commerceby Kent G. Mendoza Morales The date is April 9, 2014. It’s 12 noon, and I’m coming home. My name is Kent G. Mendoza Morales and I’m 21 years old. At the age of 12, I had my first encounter with the law. Three years later, I received a sentence of nine months in a juvenile facility that initiated my …
28 Mar 2015
From the Jailhouse to Morehouse to the White HouseThis Op-Ed originally appeared on Juvenile Justice Information Exchange on March 31, 2015. Click here to view. by Alton Pitre I felt like a young politician last week during my four-day visit to Washington, D.C., with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition on our policy trip. From meetings with members of Congress to a meeting with a deputy assistant to the president in the White …
25 Mar 2015
Outside ManEvery Saturday morning Scott Budnick leaves his 1920s Mediterranean villa on a Hollywood Hills cul-de-sac, with its pool and waterfall and wooded trails, and drives his Tesla north, across the San Fernando Valley, to where the 5 and 210 freeways converge in Sylmar. The first time he made this trek, to a corner of Los Angeles synonymous with the fortress …
04 Feb 2015
ARC Hosts Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) for Dialogue on Youth EmpowermentLOS ANGELES, CA – On Saturday, February 7th, the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), InsideOUT Writers, the Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition, the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative and Manifest Works hosted Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) for a dialogue around youth advocacy and empowerment. Rooted in each organization’s commitment to investing in system-affected youth, this event centered on providing young people with the …
15 Dec 2014
Black Lives Matter – It’s More than Police KillingsI have struggled with the theme of “Black Lives Matter” in the protests against police killings of Black men in America. I totally agree with the sentiment, but I have just had trouble with the message that seems so basic and demands a low bar. Then after an argument with a friend who thought the theme was ridiculous, I found …
07 Oct 2014
ARC and InsideOUT Writers Host Special Screening of Imperial DreamsLOS ANGELES, CA – The Antirecidivism Coalition (ARC) and InsideOUT Writers (IOW) co-hosted a special screening of Malik Vitthal’s “Imperial Dreams” at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Century City. The gathering convened more than 200 guests at the Ray Kurtzman Theater with backgrounds in social work, law, entertainment, and academia. Imperial Dreams tells the story of Bambi, a 21-year-old, single father, returning home …
29 Sep 2014
Governor Jerry Brown Signs AB 1276!SACRAMENTO, CA – This past weekend California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 1276 Youth Offenders: Security Placement authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica). Members and leaders of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) co-sponsored this bill with Human Rights Watch and Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey. AB 1276 requires the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to conduct committee-based, specialized review for persons …
10 Jun 2014
Something extraordinary is happening at Ironwood State PrisonI know a good movie when I see one, but recently I had a day that was more fascinating, inspiring and compelling than the greatest of films. And every minute of it was real. Picture driving on a desolate two-lane road, past one low flat building after another, before seeing the tall steel fences and razor wire that signal your …