Audio and photos by Ziola Kowzan
68% of formerly incarcerated people in the US will re-offend. How can politicians, businesses, and communities better support former inmates during re-entry?
On Tuesday, March 26, Criminal Justice Awareness and Action hosted a community dinner with representatives from two community justice organizations: Benevolence Farm and Inmates to Entrepreneurs. Listen to our recording of the discussion above.
More about the panelists:
LaShauna Austria, Benevolence Farm Executive Director: LaShauna Austria is an ordained faith leader with a fierce commitment to, and deep experience with, building strong, vibrant, and sustainable communities as well as a demonstrated record of collaborating with rural communities, faith and non faith based organizations to address race, justice and equity issues. She has a professional and personal passion for, and involvement with, a variety of racial equity organizations, environment and food systems initiatives in the surrounding area.
AJ Ware, Inmates to Entrepreneurs Board Co-Chair: AJ has been an integral part of Inmates to Entrepreneurs since 2009. Ware’s entrepreneurial experience started at the age of 15 when he co-founded Mobile Radio Communications Company (MRC), which was later sold to Cellular One. Later, Ware ran a successful painting company for many years, A&N Painting, and a motorsports park. Today, Ware is owner of Majestic Sports Marketing.