Giving prison inmates a fresh start
Giving prison inmates a fresh start
A new nonprofit aims to help inmates find jobs before they're released from prison to prevent recidivism.
THIS MORNING WE'REINTRODUCING YOU TO AKANSAS CITY MAN WHOWANTS TO FLIP THEPRISON RE-ENTRY MODELUPSIDE DOWN.HE SAYS IT STARTS BYHELPING INMATES LAND AJOB BEFORE THEY LEAVEPRISON.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER CHARLIEKEEGAN HAS THAT STORY -ALL NEW FOR YOU THISMORNING.Charlie KeeganI MET NA'IM AL-AMIN ATTHIS COFFEE SHOP WHEREHE TOLD ME TO THROWOUT THE TERM "RE-ENTRY"AND FOCUS ON "PRE-ENTRY."HE DOESN'T WANTINMATES TO RE-ENTER THESYSTEM THAT LANDEDTHEM IN PRISON - HEWANTS TO PREPARE THEMTO ENTER A NEW WORLD.NA'IM AL-AMIN WEARS TWOHATS - AN H-R REP FORUPS HOSTING JOB FAIRS.AND THE FOUNDER OFSWAGG INC - A NEW NON-PROFIT HELPING INMATESLAND JOBS.Na'im Al-Amin // Founder and CEOofSWAGG, INC"I've been impacted by massincarceration since I was 8years old.I'm 41 years now."AL-AMIN CAME UP WITHSWAGG INC IN PRISON -WRITING THIS BUSINESSPLAN BY HAND WHILEBEHIND BARS.HE'S BEEN OUT NEARLYTHREE YEARS - AND ISDYING TO GO BACK - NOTAS AN INMATE - BUT ASSOMEONE WHO CANOFFER THE HELP HEWISHES HE RECEIVED.Na'im Al-Amin // Founder and CEOofSWAGG, INC"[with this program] I wouldn'thavebeen released homeless,geographically displaced.
Iwould'vehad an employer to build arelationship with."AL-AMIN SAYS THATEMPLOYER RELATIONSHIPIS THE KEY TOPREVENTING RECIDIVISM.SOME STUDIES SHOW UPTO 80 PERCENT OFINMATES RETURN TOPRISON.SWAGG INC WILL TEACHINTERVIEW SKILLS TOINMATES - AND CONNECTTHEM WITH EMPLOYERSAS THEY APPROACH THEIRRELEASE DATES SO THEYCAN GET HIRED IN THEREAL WORLD BEFORETHEY EVEN LEAVE PRISON.Na'im Al-Amin // Founder and CEOofSWAGG, INC"We want to prepare our clientsfor anew experience so it's aboutcreatingnew opportunities in a differentset ofcircumstances."COVID HAS PREVENTEDHIM FROM GETTINGACCESS INSIDE PRISONS -BUT HE'S STILL REACHINGPEOPLE LIKE ANTWANOLIVER - WHO GOT OUT OFPRISON MONDAY - AND ISREADY FOR A FRESHSTART.Antwan Oliver // Released fromprison Monday"Stay on the straight and narrowpath,get a job, and hopefully tell mystoryto somebody who's younger thanmeand they listen and learn frommymistakes."Na'im Al-Amin // Founder and CEOofSWAGG, INC"I'm living proof that it canwork."AL-AMIN WANTS TO OPENDOORS FOR PEOPLE LIKEOLIVER - SO THEY DON'TEND UP BACK BEHIND ALOCKED ONE.Charlie KeeganSWAGG INC OFFICIALLYBECAME 501C3 LATE LASTYEAR.IT LAUNCHED A CLOTHINGLINE SELLING MASKS LIKETHIS ONE TO RAISE MONEYFOR THE NON-PROFIT.WE'VE PUT A LINK TO ITSWEBSITE ON OURS -KSHB.COMIN KCMO CHARLIE KEEGAN41 ACTION NEWS TODAY.
