A New Way of Life Reentry Project is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 to provide housing and reentry support to formerly incarcerated women and their children by providing a wide range of programs and services to help facilitate a successful transition back to community life.
“We envision a society that treats all people with dignity and respect, and in which communities unite to support their members to excel. A New Way of Life believes in the ability of each of its residents to achieve freedom and independence,” said founder Susan Burton on the organization’s website.
As a community advocate, A New Way of Life works to restore the civil rights of people with criminal records to housing, employment, public benefits, and the right to vote.
The organization provides three stages of services to residents: Getting Started, which includes pick-ups from prison and jail, clothing, toiletries, 12-step meetings and health services; Getting Established, which consists of assistance with family reunification, custody, and child support, educational programming on rebuilding credit, record expungement, and effective parenting; and Getting Independent, which helps residents search for permanent housing, and support in developing a drug-free lifestyle.
“In Los Angeles–home to the largest reentry population in the United States–transforming lives through the provision of direct services is essential, but not enough,” said Burton. “For this reason, we are also dedicated to facilitating a grassroots community organizing effort that can amass enough political power to reverse the discriminatory policies and practices affecting prisoners, former prisoners and others with criminal records.”
All of Us or None is an initiative that seeks to build a movement to win full restoration of the human and civil rights of people with past convictions.
Co-founded in 2003, All of Us or None gives collective voice to people with criminal records in the policies that affect them. A New Way of Life is the coordinator of All of Us or None’s Los Angeles chapter, and has also helped to establish chapters in Long Beach/Compton, Orange County, San Diego, Victorville, and (in collaboration with Time for Change Foundation), San Bernardino.
At the forefront of All of Us or None’s work has been the campaign to “Ban the Box,” which is a strategy to increase employment opportunities for people with past convictions by reducing unfair discrimination in the hiring process. It allows applicants with past convictions an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and experience alongside other applicants, ensuring that only recent convictions that are directly relevant to the job are considered.
The 2012 national tour of the Ultimate Louisiana Party has partnered with A New Way of Life to bring the best of Louisiana’s unique music, food and culture to raise awareness and funds for the Los Angeles-based nonprofit. The event will feature Louisiana Funk Reggae and Cajun music provided by Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor with special guest The Zydeco Mudbugs. Tickets include a menu of catfish, red beans and rice, and skillet cornbread. Ticket prices are $35 per person or two for $50. Tickets may be purchased online at www.anewwayoflife.org.
The benefit will be held tonight from 6-10 p.m. at the Savoy Entertainment Center, 218 S. La Brea Ave., Inglewood.
For more information on the organization, visit www.anewwayoflife.org.
