NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TN Tribune) – The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Office of Reentry (OOR) is hosting three regional Second Chance Month Celebrations and Community Resource Fairs during the month of April in observance of National Second Chance Month. The three celebrations are scheduled for April 1, in Nashville, April 8, in Memphis, and April 22, in Knoxville.
These events are designed to bring together second-chance employers, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, state agencies, and community partners who can help justice-involved individuals (JIIs) reenter society. Participation in these events is free and open to the public.
“Access to adequate resources is a critical element for people who have completed their sentences and have a desire to become contributing citizens in our community,” said Dr. William Arnold, OOR Director. “We believe these state-wide, community-based education events will raise awareness of the value of justice-involved individuals and their potential to reenergize our state’s workforce.”
Local American Job Center (AJC) representatives will also be present at each event to provide educational information, offer programs and services to JIIs, and facilitate connections between second-chance employers and job seekers. Local politicians and dignitaries are expected to attend in their respective regions and provide remarks during the program.
While specific activities for each city will vary, the types of activities that are expected at each event include:
- Expungement clinics for eligible attendees
- Applications for state identification
- On-site registration into the Jobs4TN program
- Connections with community organizations that operate in the reentry space
Each event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time at the following locations:
- April 1, Hadley Park Community Center, 1037 28th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208
- April 8, Shelby County Office of Reentry, 1362 Mississippi Blvd, Memphis, TN 38106
- April 22, Knoxville American Job Center, 2700 Middlebrook Pike Ste 100, Knoxville, TN 37921
For more information about these events, or to learn how to participate as an individual, organization, or state agency, please contact Sophia Young at Sophia.Young@tn.gov or by phone at 615-532-1012.
About the Office of Reentry The OOR is housed in the Workforce Services Division of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and has been in existence since July 1, 2021. Inspired by Governor Bill Lee’s vision, the OOR’s mission is to provide comprehensive workforce services to support justice-involved individuals who are reentering society.
About National Second Chance Month Second Chance Month, established and observed in the United States during April since 2014, is a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction and unlock second-chance opportunities for justice-involved individuals who are returning to their communities. In America, 95 percent of the nearly 2 million people incarcerated will be released at some point and will, therefore, return to our communities as our colleagues, neighbors, and co-workers.
