Advocacy News from LMM
#CLEReentryWeek2022 is Underway!
This week marks Cuyahoga County’s annual Reentry Awareness Week. LMM has been hosting and attending events that raise awareness of existing resources for returning citizens, as well as the barriers these citizens face post-release.

So far, LMM has hosted a screening of the PBS documentary Apart in partnership with the Office of Reentry, participated in a Reentry Week Resource and Job Fair at Oriana House, and hosted a conversation between the ladies in Chopping for Change and Ms. Susan Burton, the Charles R. See Forum keynote. LMM is proud to continue its legacy of advocacy and programming for returning citizens. Continue reading to learn more about additional events and activities hosted by LMM during Reentry Week!   
Join Us for the Annual Charles R. See Forum on Reentry
We're only one day away!

The 2022 Charles R. See Forum on Reentry featuring Ms. Susan Burton, the founder of Los Angeles-based A New Way of Life (ANWOL), will take place tomorrow on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 11:30AM at the City Club of Cleveland. The forum honors See’s 44 years at LMM by bringing attention to current issues in the field of criminal justice. Tickets are on sale at the link below. The forum will also be broadcast starting at 12:00PM on www.cityclub.org and WKSU 89.7.
This Saturday: The People's Reentry Assembly
You are invited to attend the People’s Reentry Assembly on Saturday, April 30 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. This half-day program will elevate the stories and experiences of those with past criminal legal involvement, provide information about policies that could reduce housing-related collateral sanctions, and determine a path for advancing these policies in Northeast Ohio. Individuals with direct criminal legal system involvement, or who have been indirectly impacted through a family member, roommate, or close friend, are encouraged to attend. 

The program will take place at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (4515 Superior Ave). It is in partnership with Cuyahoga County’s Reentry Week. RSVP here.
Second Chances with Chopping for Change
The Chopping for Change (C4C) program is an innovative partnership between LMM, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and the Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry to provide pre-release workforce development training and behavioral health services for women in the criminal justice system.
 
As one of the only programs in Ohio that take inmates out of prison and into civilian custody for employment training, women incarcerated at the Northeast Reintegration Center come to LMM five days a week and engage in a comprehensive program that includes counseling, support services and culinary arts training.
A Reflection on LMM's Friend-to-Friend Program
"She was a woman from California – at that time a resident of Northeast Pre-Release Center, an Ohio Department of Corrections prison in Cleveland. I was with a group of people spending a day learning about the work of Lutheran agencies in Cleveland – we were in the visiting room at Northeast Reintegration Center to hear about the work of an LMM program called Friend-To-Friend. I had no idea of how my life would be changed by what she said."

Read the full blog from LMM's Friend-to-Friend Director, Lynn Schlessman.
LMM Attends Refresh Collective's Spring Event
On Thursday, April 21 Gloria Craig from LMM’s Advocacy Department attended Refresh Collective's Spring Event.

Refresh Collective is a Cleveland organization that helps youth and teens utilize Hip Hop and art to provide workforce development skills and an outlet to express themselves and heal. The event included performances from youth, rap battles, and allowed community members to hear from youth who had been positively impacted by the program.

To learn more about Refresh Collective visit https://refreshcollective.org/.