Congratulations to our ED/Founder, Sheba Williams

Congratulations to our Founder & Executive Director, Sheba Williams on being part of Style Weekly’s 2019 Top 40 Under 40. Check her out in Style Weekly's October 22, 2019 edition.

Scott Elmquist, Style Weekly

Have You Pitched In? We Need Your Help!

Have you pitched in??? We need you!

We are doing our annual fundraising event to support those in the community with justice involvement. We also work for strengthening families, decreasing poverty and improving community relationships through service. Please consider donating.

The Dominion Energy Charity Classic Birdies for Charity Program will donate an additional 10% of each donation. The tournament is being held Oct 18th - 20th at The Country Club of Virginia's James River Course. Do you want the opportunity to attend the event? The top 3 contributors/sponsors who donate a flat amount by 9/30/19 will receive (2) tickets to the event, good for the date of your choice. 

Please consider making a donation or pledge to support our work in the community!

Donations accepted thru 10/20/19 (http://bit.ly/b4C2019)

Help us raise $15,000 for The Institute of Forgiveness

Help us reach our goal of $15,000 that goes toward our mentoring and trade program The Institute of Forgiveness, connecting youth and adults with justice involvement, to prevent entry into the adult justice systems. We need our youth to cultivate our future. We need your support.

 The Dominion Energy Charity Classic Birdies for Charity Program will donate an additional 10% of each donation. The tournament is being held Oct 14th - 20th at The Country Club of Virginia's James River Course.

Donations accepted thru 10/20/19 (http://bit.ly/b4C2019)

TODAY KICKS OFF OUR ANNUAL BIRDIES FOR CHARITIES FUNDRAISER!

TODAY, we kick off our Annual Birdies for Charities Fundraiser (http://bit.ly/b4C2019). This year, we are focused on connecting individuals with lived experience with youth and their families to prevent entry into the juvenile and adult systems.

We continue our work in juvenile and criminal justice reform, restoration of rights, voter registration, helping individuals with justice involvement get back to work and most importantly stay home in our communities and hearts. We need you to make a donation of $25 (or more) to help us reach our goal of $15,000 to kick off our mentoring and trade program, the Institute of Forgiveness.

We are also looking for reliable mentors to participate in our Dual Mentorship Program. Sign up to express interest in participating at http://bit.ly/2KW97kT.

Donate today at http://bit.ly/b4C2019... Thank you in advance!

Women to Women Empowerment Brunch

Entrepreneurship, Empowerment, Elevation, Encouragement and Networking

Join us for a great discussion and brunch.

Tickets: $25 includes Powerful speakers, brunch, raffles, fellowship, vendors and free give aways.

Contact Shakira for tickets: 240-779-7781

Criminal Injustice Reform Network Launch and Day of Advocacy

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!!

Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day to the dads, bonus dads, mentors and father figures who've stepped up and filled the void

... Nolef Turns Inc.

Drivers with suspended licenses due to unpaid court costs will be able to drive again

Drivers with suspended licenses due to unpaid court costs will be able to drive again

NJJN's 2019 Forum "Modeling Youth Led Advocacy"

Join NJJN in Washington, DC! 

NJJN's 2019 Forum "Modeling Youth Led Advocacy" will be held from Monday, July 22 - Wednesday, July 24 in Washington, DC.
This year our annual event centers the work and wisdom of young people, who were instrumental in planning our three days together.  We will engage deeply with young people and will elevate systems change work that is led by youth-adult partnerships across the country.  We will also spend a day together to work collectively towards our vision of creating an anti-racist youth justice network.
The National Juvenile Justice Network is a member-driven advocacy community. As such, we reserve the first two days of our Forum to gather as a membership body to celebrate, network and tend to business. On Wednesday, July 24th, we open up our Forum to all allies in the youth justice reform movement to hone in on the issues that face youth and provide solutions to push for fair and equitable treatment of all young people.
Please note that we have separate registration pages for members and non-members below. Not sure if you are a member? Check out your state page. 

Registration is now open for members!

MEMBER REGISTRATION. CLICK HERE.
Public Registration. (Coming soon)

FORUM LOCATION

The Forum will be held at Arnold & Porter LLP (map), in Washington, DC.  A special reception will be held at Busboys and Poets (map) on the evening of Tuesday, July 23rd to honor our youth justice award winners.

LODGING

The closest hotel is Hampton Inn Washington-Downtown-Convention Center (map). You may book a room online here under NJJN's group block at $159 a night before tax and fee by June 30, 2019 or call them at 1-202-842-2500.

WAYS TO HELP 

• Donate to NJJN to help us further our mission.

AGENDA 

Below is a preview of our three days together:
Saturday, July 20th-Sunday, July 21st : YJLI Alumni Retreat
All Youth Justice Leadership Institute Alumni are invited to participate in this annual, pre-Forum retreat.  This is a time to re-energize, reconnect and recharge for the year ahead.
Monday, July 22nd, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM  - Members Only - Pre-Forum Skill Building
Join us for pre-forum skill building sessions. Optional trainings include:

• Hill Visit Briefing - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM:  We are encouraging advocates to visit their Congressional representatives to discuss youth justice issues. We will provide issue briefs and talking points.  *We ask members to schedule their own visits.

• Fundraising Peer Strategy Workshop  - 12:00 - 2:00 PM:This peer-led workshop will give folks a space to discuss strategies for fundraising such as foundations, special events, and individual giving.

• New Advocate Workshop - 12:00 - 2:00 PM: Designed for individuals new to the advocacy space, this workshop will ground folks in the basics of moving policy reform.

• Building the Core: An Embodied Leadership Workshop -  2:00 - 5:00 PM:   Do you feel like you are in touch with the core values and principles and drive your passion for justice? Led by Rusia Mohiuddin from Universal Partnership, this workshop will help you connect to these core values – whether they emerge from you, your organization or your community.  By clearly drawing a line between values and actions, you will be able to improve your social change leadership. Participants will develop a vision for where they want to be in 3-9 months and will learn practices that can help them achieve their goals. Check out more on Embodied Leadership at Universal Partnership.. This is a great workshop to prepare for our opening day devoted to the pursuit of anti-racism in the youth justice space.

Tuesday, July 23rd 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM  - Members Only
Embracing a Purposeful Approach to Anti-Racist Youth Justice Advocacy:
At this year’s Forum, we’ll be cementing our vision, goals and benchmarks for NJJN’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist network.  We will spend time engaging in our new framework, reflecting on how it affects our individual and collective work, and planning for the work back home. This day is devoted to exploring how we can work collectively to dismantle racism and white supremacy in the pursuit of youth justice.
Evening Reception Tuesday, July 23rd 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - All are Welcome!
Celebrate Inspiring Leaders with a Youth Hosted Awards Reception and Open Mic Night
Location: Busboys and Poets, 450 K Street NW

• Gutsy Advocate for Youth Award
• Emerging Leader Award
• Youth Leadership Award - New!

Wednesday, July 24th 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - All are Welcome!

• Welcome and networking
• Youth Adult Partnership Training
• Successful Youth Adult Partnership Models
• Youth Justice Issue Discussion Tables
• Road to Reform and Forum Closing

This event will be photographed and videotaped.

Homage to Our Brother and Friend

On March 12, 2019, we received a phone call to rush to the hospital. As we walked into the doors of the Emergency Room at MCV, we received the news that our brother was gone.

Mr. Husain El-Amin served the people. He turned his past into a path for redemption. He worked at the homeless shelters in the City of Richmond, he mentored youth, he provided housing for those in need, he was a certified state home inspector for Commonwealth Catholic Charities and he was a champion in the fight for criminal justice reform. Through lived experience, he was in a fight to deter others from going through the systems that he went through. He was not only our brother; he was our friend and our partner in the fight for justice. Thank you for all of the support and help. Though it is time for you to rest, we will continue our fight…

Rest in power

Interested in the Legal System After Your Experiences? Try These 3 Careers

Congratulations on seeking a new career! After you've served your time, it's important to take the steps you need to begin your life again. Luckily, there are many careers out there for you even if you spent some time away from the job market due to a conviction.

You may have spent some time studying law and the legal system and are now interested in potential employment in the field. Here are three careers you can look into.

Bounty Hunter

According to Jobs for Felons Hub, “a bounty hunter, or fugitive recovery agent, is in charge of locating individuals who are wanted for a warrant or have skipped their court date. Applicants are said to need a requirement of communication and understanding the law.”

To obtain a job as a bounty hunter, you must be 21 years of age with a high school diploma or a GED equivalent. Having knowledge of law enforcement and the military is also a plus, and training includes how to use force reasonably and how to track suspects. Note that some states do require a background check and a private investigator license.

Forensic Psychologist

According to Maryville University, “a degree in forensic psychology blends the foundational social sciences such as human development, sociology, and various disciplines of psychology with professional skills such as critical thinking, research methodology, and criminal theory and investigation, and psychological testing.”

Forensic psychology requires a degree that can be obtained at a local campus or university. This field is competitive, but you can work towards your goal by studying and succeeding.

Attorney

When you have been studying law and gained enough experience, perhaps it's time to look into a career as an attorney. Educating yourself when you were inside is effective; however, you may need more schooling. According to Learn How to Become, “for those who answer affirmatively, the following guide outlines the various academic, skill building, and licensing steps required to begin a career practicing law. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational requirement for admission to law school.”

The Bar test requires a judge to determine your character before you can become an attorney. A background check is also generally required to see if you're in good standing. Most states need to determine if you are in good moral standing to get the job; however, it may not matter if you were convicted of a felony or spent time behind bars.

When you want to start fresh and work in the legal system, these careers can be great for you. Take time to research and see what works best. We hope your knowledge and education provide the perfect path to success.



If you want more information and have questions about the legal field, get in contact with us!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Use this day of love to spread some forgiveness and think about how you can get involved with juvenile and criminal justice reform. #ittakesavillage #findingforgiveness 💕

MLK Day of Service

Nolef Turns Inc. is out of the office today so that we may serve others. We will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 10am.