Her team at NBC Universal Filmed Entertainment refers to her as an “inspiration for change”. She herself has faced prejudices throughout her life, but as a HR Professional in the entertainment industry for over 25 years, and now SVP of Human Resources, Globally, Hoai Scott, has played a key role in educating leaders in diversity and inclusion, leading with purpose and creating a culture of inclusion and belonging in the workplace.  Beginning in 2018, NBCU began a partnership with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition in Los Angeles to open a door to those who were justice involved but pledged to be crime free, gang free, drug free, enrolled in a school and volunteering in their community.  The fair chance hiring opportunities that Hoai and her team offer is a life changing career pathway, and one that celebrates and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is at the very heart of the NBCU culture.

The Hustler Files Ep. 55 -Changing Culture Is Your Mission, When Storytelling Is Your Power

In 2003, Scott Budnick was an EVP at Green Hat Films. One evening he was invited to attend a writing workshop at the juvenile hall through the InsideOUT Writers program.  Many of the young people in that program were facing adult prison sentences, and even worse, when released from the juvenile halls and prisons across California, many were returned to incarceration.  So, the man whose day job was writing and producing, decided to orchestrate another production in 2013, a production whose mission he aptly named The Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), its main mission, end mass incarceration. But ARC’s ongoing success, in workforce and housing programs, higher employment and lower recidivism rates, takes a well-trained village of team members and volunteers.  Under the leadership of Executive Director, Sam Lewis, they continue to rewrite the ARC narrative by changing lives, changing laws, and changing the perception of justice involved individuals.

The Hustler Files Ep. 66 - When Your Main Production in Life Becomes Changing Peoples Lives

Here in 2024, the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution still states; “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction”.  This year, on the California ballot, was Proposition 6, a ‘yes’ vote would amend the California Constitution and prohibit the state from punishing incarcerated individuals with involuntary work assignments AND from disciplining those who refuse to work.  Prop 6 didn’t pass and so slave labor may continue within the California prison system.  Nicolas Tirado, of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, spent 11 years in various California prisons, working at jobs that would have no transferrable skills, back in the community, and making $.86 a day, PRE tax and restitution. His recent online op-ed, in Teen Vogue, was an eye-opening article about ending “modern-day slavery” and well worth the read.

The Hustler Files Ep. 85 - The 13th Amendment, Legal Slavery & Proposition 6

This week on Everyday Injustice, we talk with Amanda Hall, who as the Senior Director of National Campaigns, she leads strategic efforts to shape national drug policy within expansive coalitions and advocates for the voices of those directly impacted.

Hall recounted her journey to incarceration, sharing how witnessing her mother’s arrest as a child negatively impacted her mental health and led her to experiment with drugs. Amanda struggled with drug-related charges throughout her late teens and early twenties, frequently finding herself in jail. Now, as a member of Dream.Org, she is spearheading the national Public Health is Public Safety Campaign, advocating for legislation that focuses on people and promotes recovery rather than harshly punishing individuals without offering them a chance at rehabilitation.

Listen as Amanda Hall talks about the opioid crisis, how we can utilized smart on crime tactics, and the barriers to such solutions.

Everyday Injustice Podcast Episode 271: Addressing the Opioid Crisis – One approach in Kentucky

"Altadena’s historic Black community faces wildfire devastation as Eaton Fire destroys 14,000 acres, 6,000-9,000 homes, 29 lives lost, with residents prioritizing cultural heritage in resilient rebuilding."

Altadena's Black Spirit Rises From Eaton Fire Ruin

Podcasts from all of the local show on WHMP Radio in Northampton, MA. including Talk the Talk with Bill Newman and Buz Eisenberg, The Hustler Files, The Western Mass Business Show, and Panorama.

Davis Vanguard Podcast will be covering criminal justice reform, mass incarceration, wrongful convictions, and more.

New tracks tagged #coalition,