Center for Employment Opportunities

As we approach the end of #BlackHistoryMonth, we want to recognize a leader that has broken a number of barriers throughout her life. Constance Baker Motley was the first Black woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, the first Black woman elected to the NY State Senate, the first woman to serve as Borough President of Manhattan, and the first Black woman to become a federal judge. We hope that Constance’s barrier breaking journey will inspire our participants and others to strive for success, even when it's an uphill battle.

This week we are recognizing Bryan Stevenson. As one of the nation’s leading public interest lawyers, Mr. Stevenson has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. His organization, the Equal Justice Initiative, inspired the film Just Mercy. Like the Equal Justice Initiative, CEO is focused on changing the narrative about justice involved individuals and ensuring that they receive the same opportunities as others. #BlackHistoryMonth

REDF, Seattle Jobs Initiative, and CEO have launched a new program to prepare employment social enterprises to become SNAP E&T partners. Learn how to secure a new, sustainable source of funding - register for the webinar series to get started! www.redf.org/SNAPwebinar

This week we are recognizing Macon B. Allen, an accomplished leader from the 1800s. A true #BarrierBreaker, Macon fought against the odds to become the first Black lawyer in the United States. Our participants at CEO often face a number of barriers when they return home. Our program is dedicated to helping them overcome these barriers so that they too can achieve success. #BlackHistoryMonth

It’s officially #BlackHistoryMonth and we’ve decided to do something a little different this year to celebrate. Each week we will recognize #BlackLeaders who may not be as widely known or discussed, but have made significant contributions to society or have had notable achievements. Let’s kick off the month with three women that have created an international movement dedicated to #equality. #BlackLivesMatter is a phrase people all over the world have come to know -- but do ...most people know how the #BLM movement came to be? Back in 2013, Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi created the social justice movement to protest against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against black and brown people. The movement now has millions of followers of all different backgrounds and was just recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. See more

CEO's Chief External Affairs Officer Chris Watler recently sat with Authority Magazine to share his thoughts on how society can be more inclusive, representative, and equitable. Read why Chris is optimistic about the future and learn more about CEO's efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our organization.

We hope you have been enjoying our staff and participant #MLK reflections. Here are the latest posts from CEO team members Destiny and Wallace. Visit the links below to read each blog. Destiny's blog: https://ceoworks.org/blog/ceo-voices-destiny-fordham Wallace's blog: https://ceoworks.org/blog/ceo-voices-wallace-stclair

As we approach the end of this historic day, please take a moment to read our latest #MLK reflections from Keito, a CEO staff member and Betty, a former participant colleague. Visit the links below to read each blog. Betty's blog: https://ceoworks.org/blog/ceo-voices-betty-mckay Keito's blog: https://ceoworks.org/blog/ceo-voices-keito-gray

As we celebrate the life and teachings of #MLK, we asked a few of our staff and participant colleagues to share some reflections. What emerged are powerful statements touching on the unfinished work of racial and social justice, the importance of CEO’s mission and enduring legacy of Dr. King’s example. We will be sharing these reflections throughout the week. Visit the links below to read today’s blog posts from CEO staff members, Ayanna and Alexa. Ayanna's blog: https://ce...oworks.org/blog/ceo-voices-ayanna-teesdale Alexa's blog: https://ceoworks.org/blog/ceo-voices-alexa-harris

There’s still time to sign up for our CMI Community Roundtable on Thursday! Please use the link below to register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/credible-messenger-initiative-

On April 16, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The letter was a response to local leaders in defense of his nonviolent civil disobedience approach. Dr. King was a radical for nonviolence who spoke up against racism, economic injustice, and the complacency of the comfortable. As we honor and celebrate the life and teachings of #MLK today, we continue the fight against racism and social injustice that remains present in our society as we strive for #equality. At CEO, we are working to end mass incarceration, promote healing and build a world that will bring all of us closer to realizing Dr. King’s dream.

The outstanding response to CEO’s 2020 Year End Campaign is a direct reflection of the amazing supporters we have. Our supporters share our passion for providing equal opportunities to those returning home from incarceration. We can’t thank you enough for partnering with us as we work to improve the lives of returning citizens.