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‘Promote Fair Chance with Your Whole Chest’
Advocates at Arouet Symposium Passionately Promote Inclusive Hiring Practices
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Today, business leaders joined Republican and Democrat state lawmakers, criminal justice reform advocates and the head of Arizona’s prison system for the 2023 Fair Chance Employment Symposium—an event focused on inclusive hiring practices—at the Arizona Biltmore’s Grand Ballroom.
Nearly 300 people attended the event, which was hosted by Arouet, a Phoenix-based nonprofit that prepares women incarcerated in Arizona for re-entry and helps them find good jobs, safe housing, health care and wrap-around services once they are released from prison. The Symposium was sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co, which implemented its own fair chance program to hire 4,600 people with a conviction history in 2022.
“What we want you to take away from this Symposium is the bravery to advocate for fair chance policies within your organizations,” Amazon Web Services’ and Arouet board member Colleen Schwab told the audience. “We want you to feel confident to promote fair chance with your whole chest.”
The event featured an informative panel discussion, moderated by Schwab, that included Pipeline AZ Senior Director Katie Belous, Honest Jobs CEO & Founder Harley Blakeman, FWD.us VP of Criminal Justice Campaigns Elissa Johnson, Checkr.org Executive Director Ken Oliver and Arouet CEO Alison Rapping, offering advice on building a fair chance hiring program within any organization or business, big or small.
The Symposium also served as a launchpad for Arouet’s newly-released Employer’s Guide to Successful Fair Chance Hiring, with hard copies of the 40-page book—which is also available in digital format—distributed to all who attended.
“I want you all to go to our website and download this incredibly helpful resource,” said Rapping, Arouet’s CEO. “And then I want you to share it with at least one business and one nonprofit organization that could use it to implement fair chance policies and create a more equitable and inclusive Arizona.”
Ryan Thornell, director of Arizona’s Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Re-Entry (ADCRR), attended the event with several ADCRR staff members. Thornell was praised often by speakers, including Rapping, for creating new programming, rehabilitation and education opportunities to help people in prison. He also recently appeared on KTVK’s “Politics Unplugged” to promote fair chance policies.
“We have to look at public safety in a very broad sense. It’s not just about law enforcement. It’s not just about incarceration,” Thornell told host Dennis Welch. “If we’re going to truly have a safer community, we need to give people opportunities to stay out in the community, be productive, and not return to prison. If we’re going to do that, we need to give them education and we need to give them jobs.”
“If I sit in front of you and you know that I’m the most qualified applicant for that job, don’t worry about the criminal history. Just hire me for that job.”
State lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, including Republican Rep. Michael Carbone (LD-25) and Democrat Rep. Alma Hernandez (LD-20), as well as former state legislators Steve Kaiser, Walt Blackman, and Arouet board member Sarah Liguori also attended the event. Kaiser and Hernandez, along with JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Deanna Murphy and Checkr.org’s Oliver were honored as “Fair Chance Champions.” FWD.us’ Johnson was recognized as Arouet’s first-ever “Catalyst for Change.”
Hernandez—whose district includes parts of central, west and south Tucson—delivered an emotional acceptance speech after a short video was played honoring her. Since becoming a lawmaker in 2018, Hernandez has advocated for several pieces of legislation to reform what she calls the “broken criminal justice system,” and credits a traumatic experience of being wrongfully jailed in juvenile detention when she was 14 years old for her political career.
“This award means so much to me because of where I started,” Hernandez said, holding back tears, with both her parents in attendance. “And now, here I am as a legislator in her fifth year and a student at Arizona State University’s College of Law.”
Stan Ball, Intel’s VP of Legal, Trade and Government Affairs Transformation & Execution, served as the keynote speaker for the event. He and Leah Farrington, a formerly incarcerated advocate for increased access to mental health, began the Symposium with a “fireside chat” that included Farrington sharing her experience of being offered 27 jobs after her release from prison before those offers were rescinded because of failed background checks.
“I got out of prison, and I just wanted to work. I just wanted to contribute,” Farrington told Ball. “If I sit in front of you and you know that I’m the most qualified applicant for that job, don’t worry about the criminal history. Just hire me for that job.”
With additional funding, Arouet will expand its network of fair chance employers in 2024 and increase its advocacy for public-private partnerships that encourage fair chance policies.
To learn more about Arouet’s work, visit arouetempowers.org.
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Arouet Foundation is a Phoenix-based 501(c)3 corporation that empowers women to take their lives back and embrace the next steps. Arouet’s innovative pre- and post-release programming educates incarcerated women about health/wellness, education/career preparation, community & family integration, and goal attainment.