The Connecticut Reentry Collaborative Policy Working Group is hosted four forums to highlight its 2021 Reentry Legislative Priorities. CPA Executive Director Beth Hines sits on the board for the Collaborative.
Lawmakers, service providers, advocates, and justice-impacted individuals will share their perspectives on the reality of the reentry process in Connecticut today and the importance of legislation to address these barriers.
Forum #4: “Voting Rights – This reentry advocacy forum focused on voting rights. the esteemed panelists are Zal Schroff (Liman Center at Yale University), James Jeter (Unlock the Vote CT), and Alex Tsarkov (CT Sentencing Commission). After the panel discussion, attendees were told how to take collective action on behalf of voting rights legislation.
Read the full 2021 Reentry Priorities Report from the CT Reentry Collaborative Policy Working Group.
–Forum #3: Thursday, February 25th “Housing” View on Demand – This forum focused on housing for returning citizens in Connecticut. Panelists Sarah Fox (CCEH), Rashida Rattray (CT Fair Housing Center), Eulalia Garcia (CT DOC), Leasley Negron (Elm City Communities), and Brian Sullivan engaged in a discussion and then invited attendees to join together in a collective call to action on housing legislation.
You can still email a brief testimony and share the impact of blanket housing discrimination and what housing means to you. Many landlords are submitting testimony against the legislation and it is crucial that we make our voices heard. You can find an advocacy toolkit with information about the bill, FAQs, and a template here. Please email your testimony to [email protected].
– Forum #2: February 16th Employment – View on Demand – You will be hearing from an esteemed panel about the employment barriers that returning citizens face in Connecticut and the legislation being introduced in the 2021 legislative session to change this reality.
– Forum #1: February 4th Kick-Off – View on Demand – Facilitated by CPA Executive Director Beth Hines, hear from Mayor Jason Eickler of New Haven and Mayor Joe Ganim of Bridgeport, who discuss their cities reentry priorities. Julia Wilcox from The CT Community Non-Profit Alliance talked about their advocacy work with the CT Legislature. Speakers from several organizations shared their specific reentry advocacy focus and how people can support their efforts. The forum’s panelists are Anderson Curtis (ACLU), Kirk Wesley (CONECT), Scott Esdaile (NAACP), Doug Wade (Wade’s Dairy), and Mark Soycher (CBIA). A brief advocacy opportunity follows the panel discussion!
