I have long felt that the ex-offender community needs to follow examples often seen in immigrant groups from our nation’s past. I was sitting in a political science class a while back, and we were discussing the Chinese model of immigration. When they first arrived, the Chinese were welcomed and found abundant jobs in the mining and railroad industry in the American West. The nation then went into a financial downturn, and the welcome mat was pulled out from underneath their feet. The doors were closed due to a policy known as the Exclusionary Acts. The Chinese were then barred from participating in the economy in the way they had. This presented a huge problem for them not dissimilar to the plight faced by many ex-offenders.
The Chinese resolved their issue by banding together. They pooled what money they had and supported one another. They also made an astute observation. The American West was devoid of women, so they noticed a need for restaurants and laundries. They pooled their money and started businesses. They hired on another, and they expanded. They still dominate these industries today. There is absolutely no reason that ex-offenders can’t follow this same entrepreneurial model. The problem is that many ex-offenders do not have any money at all. Many struggle with homelessness and hunger. Many, however, have succeeded in reintegration and are in a possession to share. In addition, there is a growing interest in solving the reentry problem, so perhaps outside help in the form of an accelerator will be forthcoming. It is important to remember that if enough ex-offenders gather together to accomplish this task, even a small amount of money from each participant could accomplish great things.
The next step would be to seek out voids in the economy where there is an increasing need for labor but not enough help. Right off the bat I can think of three: lawn care, the trades, and computer coding. The last two pay a significant amount of money. Starting businesses in these areas will, of course, require training, but training is available. In many cases, the training is available for free to ex-offenders through programs.
Caring about others who suffer the same fate you have suffered from is sometimes difficult to do, because it is human nature to turn your back on the negative parts of your past. If things are ever going to change, it is important to take positive steps to do just that. This is the season where caring about other humans who are suffering is brought to the forefront. If you are an ex-offender who has managed to successfully reintegrate, please us this time to think of your brothers and sisters who are either not as fortunate or are just starting to climb the mountain. Even if you have no extra money to give, you can always give time. You can volunteer to distribute meals to the homeless or shut-ins. You can volunteer at a halfway house or some other nonprofit that helps with reentry. This season is all about giving. It is not about us and our selfishness. Someone helped you along the way, so please take the time to help someone else. I will be taking a break from writing for a few weeks to celebrate and donate my time, so have a Merry Christmas and we’ll talk again soon.
-Rich
The Chinese resolved their issue by banding together. They pooled what money they had and supported one another. They also made an astute observation. The American West was devoid of women, so they noticed a need for restaurants and laundries. They pooled their money and started businesses. They hired on another, and they expanded. They still dominate these industries today. There is absolutely no reason that ex-offenders can’t follow this same entrepreneurial model. The problem is that many ex-offenders do not have any money at all. Many struggle with homelessness and hunger. Many, however, have succeeded in reintegration and are in a possession to share. In addition, there is a growing interest in solving the reentry problem, so perhaps outside help in the form of an accelerator will be forthcoming. It is important to remember that if enough ex-offenders gather together to accomplish this task, even a small amount of money from each participant could accomplish great things.
The next step would be to seek out voids in the economy where there is an increasing need for labor but not enough help. Right off the bat I can think of three: lawn care, the trades, and computer coding. The last two pay a significant amount of money. Starting businesses in these areas will, of course, require training, but training is available. In many cases, the training is available for free to ex-offenders through programs.
Caring about others who suffer the same fate you have suffered from is sometimes difficult to do, because it is human nature to turn your back on the negative parts of your past. If things are ever going to change, it is important to take positive steps to do just that. This is the season where caring about other humans who are suffering is brought to the forefront. If you are an ex-offender who has managed to successfully reintegrate, please us this time to think of your brothers and sisters who are either not as fortunate or are just starting to climb the mountain. Even if you have no extra money to give, you can always give time. You can volunteer to distribute meals to the homeless or shut-ins. You can volunteer at a halfway house or some other nonprofit that helps with reentry. This season is all about giving. It is not about us and our selfishness. Someone helped you along the way, so please take the time to help someone else. I will be taking a break from writing for a few weeks to celebrate and donate my time, so have a Merry Christmas and we’ll talk again soon.
-Rich
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