Think Outside the Cell Week – Day 2

Entrepreneurship/Employment

Facilitator: Bruce Bryan

“When you come home, how many of you plan to have a job?”

A few people in an audience of nearly 30 incarcerated men raised their hands to the question posed by Bruce Bryan.

“How many people intend to be entrepreneurs and work for themselves?” More hands flew up.

“How many plan on going from employee to entrepreneur, taking steps?” Even more hands were raised.

“That’s more realistic,” said Bruce, facilitator of Think Outside the Cell Week’s workshop on entrepreneurship and employment.
Then, to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills, Bruce had the men separate into five groups and  “map their assets;” in other words, they had to determine the skills and talents each member brought to his group. Each group then used its collective assets to
devise a business that needed investors.

And to whom did they present their business ideas? None other than the “Shark Tank.”

That’s right. In a takeoff of the popular reality TV show, five participants in the workshop—including Joe Robinson, Richard Seabrook,
William Holmes and Dwight Delee—played the role of wealthy investors, “Sharks,” and considered offers from the groups of aspiring entrepreneurs to invest in their business or product.

The five groups took their turns pitching their businesses to the Sharks.

Executives of Proline Sports brought before the Sharks their invention of a sports helmet that featured motion sensors and an airbag-like
device to prevent concussions and head injuries. They were seeking an investment of $1.5 million.

The men of Realistic Publications LLC said they produced books and music for the urban market. The business was operating in New York City’s five boroughs and  was looking to expand to the United Kingdom. They were asking for $200,000.

Those making a case for Miguel Enterprise described a business that offered three services targeted to Latinos: a travel agency, a
residential cleaning service and legal services. They were seeking $50,000.

Power Enterprise, which was described as licensing specialists in different trades to train the formerly incarcerated, was seeking a
partnership.

The men of Refurbishing Life, Inc. said they refurbish homes and lives. Their enterprise focused on skill development for people on parole
and the homeless, so that participants can ultimately become successful entrepreneurs.
They were asking for $172,000..

After some deliberation, the Sharks decided to invest in …Drum roll, please…

Proline Sports—whose  inventive and entrepreneurial members included Misters Jefferson, Turner, Desir, Santiago, Diaz, Perez and Yoarney.

 

Think Outside the Cell Week – Day 1

Education/Personal Growth

Facilitator: William Holmes

William Holmes got Think Outside the Cell Week 2012 off to a thought-provoking start with an exploration of both personal identity and
social identity—and the importance of meshing the two in order to better serve one’s family and community.

To an attentive audience, William described personal identity as any number of characteristics that make a person unique, while
social identity consists of characteristics—ranging from race and gender to age and occupation—by which a person views himself in relation to others.

Adapting W.E.B. DuBois’s concept of double consciousness, Wlliam told fellow incarcerated men that many of them have taken on identities as gangsters, robbers, pimps or thugs, all the while knowing that they were raised to be better, greater than what is represented by those labels.  As a result, they experience two streams of consciousness. In essence, they are at war with themselves.

William told the men that by choosing the thug life, they had abandoned their families and communities and created a huge void in important social roles—from policemen and judges to social workers and elected officials—that has been filled by people who do not have a vested interest in their communities.

To drive home his message, William had the men participate in an exercise designed to underscore the importance of the societal roles they
abandoned and the critical role the men can still play as stakeholders in their own communities. The men broke into groups that were designated as various social roles—including pastors, borough presidents, district attorneys, heads of community organizations, judges, social service workers, teachers and police commissioners—and were asked to grapple with problems typically faced by those
who actually hold such positions. After intense discussion, each group had one of its members present recommendations—sometimes in impressive theatrical style, playing their roles to the hilt.

Stanley Bellamy spoke for his group, which represented pastors. The group’s first recommendation? Get rid of Rev. T.D. Jakes’ theology of
prosperity. These were among other recommendations: provide more community food pantries, offer rental housing instead of unsafe shelters to the homeless, establish scholarship programs for disadvantaged youth in order to address high dropout rates, and provide free groceries to single mothers who are struggling in this bleak economy.

Kevin Washington and his group represented borough presidents. Among their recommendations: revitalize recreation centers—involving
parents and entire families in the process—as a way to ease the infestation of drugs in the community; seriously address the proliferation of liquor stores in neighborhoods of color and how they contribute to violence; create victims assistance programs that offer both physical and mental therapy; assist homeless people in reuniting with their families; offer in the public school system early entrepreneurship programs, as well as classes that teach social skills and law; as part of job training, teach people the basics of searching for employment.

Mario Perez offered these thoughts from the men in his group, who played the role of  district attorneys: If you did the crime, you’ll have to do the time. But if you’re innocent, your case will not be used for political gain. Every effort will be made to ensure that you get a fair, thorough and just hearing so that you do not spend time in prison for a crime you did not commit.

D. Yoarney and his group were presidents of community organizations. They recommended the following: To reduce crime, city officials
should be encouraged to fund family-oriented community centers, as well as tutoring and sports programs for children—particularly those  without positive role models—to help them tap into their higher selves and steer clear of gangs.

Rodney Joseph—better known as Judge Divine for this exercise—presented this suggestion from his group of judges: In determining a
fair sentence, a judge should explore a convicted person’s background and determine if there are mitigating reasons that  call for a lighter sentence. Important questions to consider include these: Is the convicted person a taxpayer? Does he work? Is he considered responsible? What type of social network does he have? What is his educational background?

Robert Mims stood up for his group of social workers, offering these ideas: Social workers should engage families more often, and
develop a working partnership with parents. They also need to be reprogrammed and reeducated so that the main focus is not on their “job,” but on caring about children and families in need.

Forrest Thomas, who spoke on behalf of men playing the role of heads of teacher’s unions, gave these recommendations: Because so many young people lack the knowledge to make smart choices about money, finance professionals should be integrated into the curriculum at public schools so that they can teach such subjects as investing and money management, stocks, bonds and real estate. In addition, formerly incarcerated people who have transformed their lives and who show strong leadership skills should be hired as teachers.

Rahime Devino and his group played the role of police commissioners. They wrapped up the first day’s workshop with these recommendations: end racial profiling, receive training in cultural awareness and, to improve cultural sensitivity, assign police officers to classrooms so that they can explain their roles and how the community can be helpful—not by snitching, but by becoming educated in the law. And if police officers kill our youth, they should not get desk work—they should be suspended without pay.

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