Commission - Regular Meeting

testing testing. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you all for being here today for this uh this work session, this call work session. Um it's an honor to have the opportunity to uh have this conversation, this very important conversation today. Uh my name is Jordan Johnson. I am the uh commissioner representing Augusta's first district. I have the pleasure of serving as the chairperson for this work session. Um and I'm happy to be here. I'm happy because we've had some substantial conversation about what this uh topic could look like in our community. And so today is our opportunity to begin those conversations. And so again, I I officially call this work session to order. Before we get into uh some of the um the the nuts and bolts of today's meeting, I want to acknowledge uh Commissioner Francine Scott, the commissioner from the ninth district to make some remarks.

Good morning and welcome. Uh I see a lot of familiar faces that I've been in um conversation with about what we are trying to do and what we are talking about today. I'm excited we're here. We tried to do something earlier when we had the jail population meeting and it was going but I think this would be a narrowing of the conversation that we need to have uh need to have to see what to make this a reality. Uh I'm I'm familiar with band the box because I for 32 years because I started when I was 15 and with the department of corrections and we banned the box and we had ex official ex at that time they was called exoffenders but just an impacted people come back and work for the prison system. So uh I'm looking forward to hearing your comments and thank you for coming on this rainy day. Thank you, Commissioner Scott. I want to also acknowledge our general counsel, Jim Plunkett. Thank you for being here. Attorney Plunkett. I also want to acknowledge uh you know, there's there's power and then there's power, right? I want to acknowledge the real power in the room, the clerk of the commission, Lena Bonner. The And I only I only say that so she'll keep saying yes when I reach out to her about stuff. All right. So again, today's discussion uh is important because it's about second chances. It's about making sure that Augusta Richmond County addresses the the conversations that are surrounded just as impacted individuals. Um and this is our opportunity to really dig into our hiring process to make sure that folks have second chances. And so to give a little context before we begin is that nationally uh there are millions of Americans uh living with uh felony convictions. And here in Georgia, here in Georgia, uh that number is significantly high as well. And so we

believe very well, we believe with everything in us that well, I'll say I believe I won't speak for anyone else, but I believe that people have uh served their time and it's time to identify ways to help people move forward in that. And so today's work session is uh for us to work through this conversation is to find ways to support families. It's to find ways to make sure that folks are able to live productive lives. And it's also to make sure that we address fair hiring in Augusta Richmond County's policies. Um we are at this place today because advocates have come to us uh on a number of occasions asking that we take a look at this issue. Mr. Lawrence Brandon has been on top of this issue since its inception. Um Bridget Samson Morgan Boy have always been uh talking to us about how this policy has impacted people in other cities. And so we believe that when people when the people come to their government for assistance to have conversations, it's our responsibility to answer that call and to have a conversation. And so where we are now is that we do have a bandit box policy in place. And the current process is that a person goes through an application process. Uh they go through the interview process. They are not required to check a box to disclose their their histories. That is the ban the box process. if they are selected to receive this job, then a background check is is done. When the background check is conducted and something comes back uh from that report, that person can still be denied that job. And so, while ban the box is in place, um the conviction that someone may have had when they were a teen or any other point in their lives can still ultimately disqualify that person from having that job after they've gone through the process. And so what is being discussed throughout the duration of this workshop is uh what needs to be changed in that approach. What type of second chance language needs to be added to our ordinances to allow folks to still be able to apply

for jobs and get employment with the city of Augusta. Um and also recognizing that justice impacted individuals um should be a protected class in hiring. And so the intent is again to ensure that people are evaluated fairly while also maintaining uh standards for public service. And so we will not be making a final decision one way or the other today. But today our goal is to gather information and hear from the stakeholders and the experts. Um I want to pause again and and let you know that I am grateful for all of your advocacy. I think I've spoken to majority of you in the room about why this is important for Augusta Richmond County. Um, and so this process will go as follows. Uh, we're going to talk today. We're going to hear from whoever wants to speak. I have a sign-in sheet up here. There's only seven names on it. I need more than seven names on this sign-in sheet. I want to hear from as many people as possible today about why uh why these types of issues are important, and I want to hear your stories. After today, I'm going to be requesting from our human resources department to provide us additional data on hiring practices as they relate to justice impacted individuals. Uh I believe that we need to really understand what's happening currently in our government and not just what the policy has been saying. Um at our next work session, we're going to be reviewing the draft ordinance that has been created. Uh we're going to look at the ordinance. We're going to go through it line by line and you'll have an opportunity to um to weigh in on it to propose changes things of that nature this will be a democratic process and if we uh you know in church we say if all hearts and minds are clear if all hearts and minds are clear after that uh opportunity after we have the opportunity to review the ordinance we're going to send this to the commission's committee I believe it'll go to the administrative services committee for review uh and from there it'll move on to the floor of the full commission for a vote. Okay? And so we want to be able to keep this train moving. You all have worked extremely hard to get us to this place and we

don't want to waste your time and we definitely want to be able to uh deliver for the people in our community. So at this time uh I want to hear from you. I want to hear your voices. We've heard uh a substantial amount of conversation here, but we want to certainly expand this conversation. And so I want to hear from you. I'm going to be calling uh anyone who would like to speak today to uh to the microphone in the center of the room. Uh all that we do is we ask that for you to uh give your name and we ask that you give us any affiliation that you have. And then you know I'm not the type of chair that that creates a time limit because I believe that if you have something on your heart, we want to hear it. But I have a doctor's appointment at 2:00, so I don't want to miss it. Okay? I've been waiting for this doctor's appointment for about 3 months. So help me get there on time. Amen. Amen. Okay. So, I'm going to go through this speaker sheet. If there are additional names, I'll take the other speaker sheet as well. Thank you. Thank you. So, first on the sheet this morning is uh Bridgetette Simpson. Just in case somebody can call the next person so they

Yes, ma'am. After I'm with you, Miss I told y'all who run who you know. Mr. Ronald. Uh, can you say your last name? Ronald Marshall. Mr. Ronald Marshall followed by Adema Ufo. All right. In that order. Just the speaker one done. Yeah, that's the speaker. Pass that one and then when it's done, just bring it back to me. I'll take it. I have multiple. All right, Mr.

All right. Um, greetings everyone. Um, my name is Bridgetette Simpson and I am the CEO and executive director of a small but mighty organization. Um, we are small a statewide organization with some national roots. And one of the ways pathways that we see to having safer communities, to having more whole communities is for people who are like myself. I served 10 years in the Georgia Department of Corrections. I am a justice impacted woman myself. Um I take pride that um most of my staff is justice impacted. whether they are directly impacted or indirectly impacted. I can track the measurement of what work, what meaningful work has meant to the trajectory of their lives. I see people who come home often who don't have the opportunity to work and don't have the opportunity to provide for themselves or for their families. And I see the results of that. And that leads to recidivism. That leads to disconnection from community. That leads to Yeah. It just leads to a lot. It leads to further disenfranchisement of households. And the way that we sought to find a solution for that, to find the best solution with the least amount of penstrokes, was to go after the protected class um work that we have been doing. We started this work back in 22 passing our first ordinance in the city of Atlanta and it was a unanimous vote for people that are like us to be able to have access to humanity. We're not asking for additional things. We're not asking for anyone to give us a um to give us a badge of honor. It is not what we're simply asking for is access to

community, access to society. I myself, I came to this journey because I wanted to be an adopted parent. And when they told me I could not be an adopted parent, that put me on a whirlwind of trying to figure out how I could be a mother. Right? So, this is something that's very intimate to me in that way of me wanting to live my life out loud. I can afford to have a child. I can take care of a child. I can love a child. But because I went to jail, no one asked me why I went. I was charged with accessory with someone that used my vehicle. I was not in the state of Georgia, but I was still convicted nonetheless. I was an accountant before this process. And now um you know I firmly I am a I'm a believer. So I believe that God put me where I needed to be to fight for whom I need to fight for. And because of that I ended up on this journey. But after diligent research and partnership with different organizations all over the country right now um we've just passed in six places. So throughout the country in local um whether it's city municipals or whether it's um county uh commissions we have passed we are doing statewide um a statewide push right now in Georgia um currently we are Dicab County, Clayton County um Augusta Richmond County and um and plan on Henry County. So um we believe that um local government is so essential. Um, we know that federal governments, they speak to the larger the macro environment, but I know um that the people whom we see, the people like Jordan, um, Commissioner Jordan, my apologies, but these are the people that I can see and that can see me and see my personal struggle and I can ask them to help me to amend that personal struggle. So when I came a couple years ago, um

you know, it was just really important for me to share what I was experiencing not with um you know, not just with work, but just with housing, with life, and for me to come and ask someone that is in the position to help me do something about it. I felt like that was crucial. And um our, you know, BART business, we have our our second location here. Um, it's not just Augusta, but it's the CSRA region because we believe that rural folks need an opportunity to have access to work just like people in Atlanta. I am not a person that believes Atlanta is Georgia. I believe that Atlanta is one place in Georgia, but the other 158 counties definitely need to be seen and heard and the justice impacted community. We make up 4.4 4 million of this population is 10.9 million people here in Georgia. 4.4 million of us are justice impacted. And that is just too large of a number for us to ignore. It's too large of a number for us not to legislate a solution to it. It is just too large of a number. So what we're asking for you to listen to is people who have served their times. I have I have moved on. like I I came home in 2018 and since I am a Thrice homeowner since I have founded and built up a successful um nonprofit. I am a small business owner and I was not able to do that without opportunity. So without access or opportunity I would not have had those stats that I had and I believe that I am not special. I am not a unicorn. I believe if you have access and opportunity that we all can do the same things. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ronald Marshall.

Good evening. Good morning. My name is Ronald Marsh. I travel way from New Orleans, Louisiana to be a part of this movement. Uh I am the policy director. Where's the gumbo? Did you bring gumbo? Next, next speaker. Next time. All right. You mind if I hold this microphone in my hand because my energy it moves around.

Yes. So, uh I'm the policy director at Voice of the Experience. Voice of the Experience mission is to restore the human dignity and decency to formally and current incarcerated people. And how we do that, we do that on by policy advocacy. what we're doing right now. We make sure that formally incarcerated and current incarcerated people are treated fairly in the laws. I'm the brainchild behind the fair chance amendment that was passed last year in New Orleans. I also amended our ban the box initiative and what I did was we created what's called a individualized assessment test. Often times employers stigmatize that felony conviction as a brand meaning they can't distinguish between a death and a murder. the offending conviction is soon the worst. So we did our baner box initiative. We added an individualized assessment test and this this is how it looks and y'all have one already in y'all in your banner box audience. It basically what it does if it requires that that that that employer to go through this test step by step to evaluate that human being based upon its own merits and not the generalization of a felony conviction. But our city government took it a step further. And I'm not asking you all to do it. But there's a difference between having a private right to sue and giving the human relations commissioner authorities to investigate, levy fines, penalties. That's a difference between having a private right. So we have a private right to sue our city government for discrimination. We can sue our city government and we can sue all contracting entities with the city government. We can sue them for discrimination if they violate the individualized assessment. If the assessment weighs in my favor, for example, the nature of the charge is theft. Right? The second one, I'm in school. I'm pursuing a PhD. Haven't we haven't re reaffended the law since I've been home. Number three, it's been 20 years since that felony conviction

occurred. Number four, uh what number four is? But it's a test, right? And let's say the the the checks weigh in my favor, but the employer still tell me no. That would be considered an arbitrary discrimination because I checked all the boxes and you still chose in the nexus. The nexus. So that's the thing called the nexus between the job responsibilities and the nature of the offense. For instance, person got convicted for death, but they're seeking employment for sanitation. There is no nexus between the theft charge and the sanitation. So therefore, employer should not feel any haste in hiring this person because there is no connection. But if I was convicted of fraud and and seeking accountant job, then that employer should have some concern about hiring me. Right? So that's an individualized attestment. And I'm going to take it a step further. This city government operates under home rule charter. Correct? Then under the home rule charter, this city government can also regulate the economic activity in this city. I'm going give you four buckets. The first bucket, Augusta, Georgia currently has 16 to 18,000 people cycling in and out of the correction system. That's jails and prisons. Let's take 10,000 of those men and we're going to hire them for $35,000 a year. We're going to inject $350 million into the August economy. That's 350 million. The second bucket, that 350 million, depending on the tax here, let's say 7% of 350 million, that's going to generate $25 million on the state and local in tax revenue. The third one, and I I might be talking too fast. The third one, them 10,000 people

who are one person in Augusta, Georgia, the city or the state pays 24,000 a year to house them. Imagine them 10,000 people who are working now. They're not in the system. 10,000 times 24,000 is what? 240 million that you're saving in this this this this economy. And not only the economic multiplier effect, that $350 million is going to generate a additional $250 million. It's called the economic multiplier effect. Because when people make money, they spend money, they invest, they pay they pay employees, they pay bills, they buy supplies. That's going to generate another $550 million. If you hire 10,000 people for a year, you save Augusta, Georgia a billion dollars in revenue. A billion. And that's the point that the city of New Orleans got. And another thing, a third bucket, a working community is a safe community. My son was murdered in 2024 in November. I picked him up from prison at 2023 July. And I was on him because he's he has a that criminal mindset. I picked him up and every time he got terminated from the job. Only thing Banner Box did was took the discrimination off the front end and put it on the back end. That's all they did. Took it from the front, put on the back. My son worked two weeks on the job. Dad, they fired me again for what? The felony conviction. Bam. I'mma go again, Dad. He went to nine jobs in 18 months. Now he's dead. The last time he was terminated, he said, "Dad, excuse my friend, man. I got five children, man. I'm trying. They don't let me try." And now he's dead. I went picked him up from California and flew him back to New Orleans in 2024 in November. I was on a conference in

Miami. Left the conference, flew to California, picked his body, me and him, me and his body flew back on the same plane together to back to New Orleans. I buried him. But I feel like if my son had a chance, had he not been discriminated against, he'll still be here. So this law is not only about economic growth, man. It's about saving people lives. So you want to you want your crime problem to go down. You don't want to see people cycling between hopelessness and poverty. Y'all have the power to do it. Last week, Councilman Freddy King, New Orleans City Councilman, he called me last week. He said, "Ronald," he said, "Man, I want to thank you for all the work you did. Protect the class, the fair me." He said, "We got to take a step further." I said, "What's going on?" said, "Too many private companies that don't fall in the purview of this law. They are discriminating against people and we we can't have that." So, I've done some research. In our state constitution, it says no city government can pass any law that affects civil and private relationships. and and I knew that two years ago. So I never touched the private industry, but I done some research last week. Come to find out I that I interpreted that clause too broadly. The courts in New Orleans said that civil and private relationships only mean those codified in the civil code of procedure. family law, custody, child law, protective service, all those things are what is considered private and civil relationships. I can't tell an employer what time his employee shall come to work. That's the relationship that an employer have with the employee. However, the law says

this, any city government can frame that law to regulate economic activity. And you regulate economic activity by telling by telling the the employers of the private entities say, "Listen, in Augustus, Georgia, we need them 10,000 farm incarcerated people to work because it's going to generate money for our city. We need them 25 million tax revenue that they're going to bring. We need the economic multiply effect of the other $220 million. That's the economic activity and y'all can regulate that. And that's my spill. Thank you very much. Thank you.

What's up y'all? Uh good afternoon. Good afternoon. Adema is my name. Um, often times places like Augusta, Georgia, look at it as a baby Atlanta. Uh, you want to think about it, Augustus, Georgia, Augustus, Georgia, Richmond area has over 200,000 people. 160,000 of those people are registered voters that can make a decision uh throughout the region. Of those people, like you said, over 16,000 of those people are enter the system daily. My question, my concern to you guys is why isn't it a protected class? Why don't we have rights for housing, education, um, jobs, and those issues? What is preventing those issues to be a protected class? What is preventing those people to be able to have these rights throughout the state? It's been passed unanimously in Atlanta. It's been passed unanimously throughout the country. What is holding back Augusta to making this happen for Georgians? Thank you.

Thank you so much. and and I and I will I will share to your point um I agree with you. It is it is past time for us to have this conversation. And so you all are are uh very important to this conversation. You're important to this process. Right? So we're going to get something on the floor commission. All right? I can't promise you much, but I can promise you something coming to the Florida commission. All right? All right. The next three speakers we will hear from will be Dominique Grant, Lawrence Brandon, and Morgan Boyd. In that order, I want to also take a moment to acknowledge Commissioner Stacy Pulium, who's joined us this morning. Good afternoon, everyone. Um, I am familiar with Augusta through a different capacity, but my name is Dominique Grant and I'm now the managing director over at Bar Business. So, nice to see you all again. Um I'm here to speak about this issue from a generational standpoint and what this would mean to families um across Augusta. So we already know that there have been struggles with the jail population. Um there have been conversations, budgetary conversations, mobilization of people in community who are ready to see change and ready to see their tax dollars go in a direction that can actually serve community. We also know that there is an issue with people being unhoused in Augusta. Um, and there's there's plenty of work to be done. I'm here because I am a child of an incarcerated parent. I grew up with my father in and out of prison. And I understand the impact of what it means to have a working parent, a parent that is emotionally available, a parent that is physically available, and a a parent that is able to provide. So my father had the opportunity to be employed and at that time it changed his life

completely. Prior to being employed after having a criminal record, my father fell into substance use issues substantially um due to his trauma and the things that he experienced. Once he was able to work and see better for himself, he was able to provide for our family. He was able to provide for me. he now has a relationship with his grandchild and I am watching those generational curses break. So my point is this, if we want Augusta to continue to grow and be the wonderful city um that it has the potential to be, we have to think about what it looks like for generations to come to be able to provide for their families. We have watched the beautiful history of Augusta slightly turn and we've seen um the impacts of taking away opportunity from people in our communities. So, I'm just here to say this is the right thing to do because we care about Augustans. We care about our families. We care about our babies. Um and we need to be able to provide for our families. Thank y'all. Um, I really wasn't prepared to speak today, but I will say this. Um, hearing each and every one of your stories is touching and it's compelling, and I really hope something, uh, comes from this. That's really all I can say because I really wasn't prepared to speak today.

You've lost her. She's She's gone now. Lawrence.

Hello. Hello everyone. Happy to be here. My name is Morgan Boyd. Uh I'm a proud member of the bar business family and I am a citizen here in Augusta, Georgia. And I'm here to speak for the youth. Uh I am a former middle school teacher and uh I have children in the Augusta school system. My daughter goes to Davidson. My son goes to CT Walker. Um and so again, I'm here to speak for my middle school students who most of them in seventh grade were reading on a third and second grade reading level. And if we know that apparently they determine prison beds based on third grade literacy, then we are in a crisis moment here. Um I my brother-in-law was murdered in Fulton County. He was uh 26 years old. And that wasn't on his first trip. That wasn't on his second or third or fourth. This was his fifth time inside that he was murdered. And I think if we could have stopped him from going back, then what a life he could have had. And so when we don't have things in place to protect our young people who are already doomed, it would seem, then we're looking for we're looking to continue to cultivate the problems that we're trying to stop. So youth crime is something that a lot of Augustans are are hollering about. Well, like we've said, a working community is a safe community. So if we're taking away opportunities from these young people who are getting caught in a system that's already designed for them to be caught in it, then we're going to continue to see this youth violence. So thank you.

All right, the next three speakers will be Hilton Sampi. Okay. Uh Lorenzo Simpkins and Corey Thompson in that order. Hello everyone. It's good to see y'all today. And um I just want to speak from a person that was just as impacted. And I want to just tell a piece of my story. Um can't remember exactly which year it was, but I was released. I was released from prison. And when I was released, upon release, I had 24 hours to get to the parole uh to the parole office. And they said I had to pay $100 just to start my parole if I didn't have that money in 24 hours. I couldn't, you know, I would probably go back to to prison or or whatever. I don't even know what would happen. I know it wasn't good. But when I thought about it, I was like, if I've been incarcerated for years, how do I get $100 within 24 hours? So, what I looked at was it's either you go to your family. If you don't have family, then what do you do? You don't want to go back to jail. So, what what what possibility is there? Maybe go back to the stuff that got you there, you know? And so, those are some of the things that we look at. So, so I ended up I did have family to be able to help me with that. But I said, you know what, in prison I said, you know, this is my last time. You know, I'm not not going to do the things I was going to do anymore. And I said, you know, I'm going to get a job and I'm I'mma fly straight. Well, I get out for six months. I'm pounding the pavement walking. I'm walking to get a job everywhere I got to go. I'm not asking nobody. I'm asking for help, but you know, they're like, you know, you you've been in trouble. So, I'm walking to do it. I'm handling my business, doing what I said I was going to do. For 6 months, these places that said they're

hiring won't give me a job. You know, they're citing my background. They're citing different things. I'm not getting a job. So, I talked to um my parole officer. I had an opportunity to go with my aunt to a different state. And parole officer said, "No, you could probably do it here." And I'm like, "It's not working. I feel like I'll end up back in trouble." She's like, "Nah, you can't go." So, lo and behold, a month later, I'm back in prison again. And when I get to the prison, first thing I do is I sign up I sign up to go to the um transitional housing, you know, where I can go do a job, work, do whatever I do. So, I get to the to the transitional housing. The same places that I'm pounding the pavement for to get a job that's not giving me a job are the same places that's that's hiring the inmates. So, I'm not saying that it was a bad thing, which is a good thing, right? But those jobs were being recycled within the system and not giving a person a chance that's really out there pounding the pavement to get it. And even within that system, within that system, most of the people that were coming and getting those jobs were coming from different places within the state. So when that person leaves that job, most people going home to their family. They're not staying in that area. So and and the question that I had was, you know, where I was, it's probably about roughly a thousand people in that jail in in that place. Why aren't those jobs going to the people in that area? because you have most of the people in that area are on for petty crimes. So if you're in for a petty crime and you get a job, you probably you're just trying to feed your family. You're just trying to do something. If you can get that job, you can handle that job, maybe that will change your life. That person does not go back into recidivism. But the thing was one when they when they gave the job

to to us as inmates, which I'm proud of it, but you know, they giving us something to do, but they give it to you at a cut rate. So whereas they were going to pay you 15 on the streets, they paying you $8, $7 minimum wage. So where's the rest of that money going? That money that money is going. They, you know, it's it's cheaper labor. So we can speculate on where it's going. I'm not going to speculate, but hey, where is it going? And then even on top of that, when when the person is finished with that job, that job is being recycled. So if those jobs went into the community, maybe that one person that's really trying to feed that family, maybe that person wouldn't come back. So now let's let's let's see how much you make from it. So when you actually get your check, they take taking 63% of that check for housing. So and that's before taxes. So now you got to pay the tax on what you made. They taking the 63% first. Then you got to pay the taxes. If you got child support, you got to pay that child support. So everybody getting their hand in it before you even get it. So, you might be working a full-time job and you may come home with $40 a week. That's just that's just like working in that's just like working in the prison. You know, you you may make 12 13 cents a day, maybe 30 cents a day depending on where you at. It's the same thing. So, the thing is we have to be cognizant of the help that the people need because in some ways we're being pushed back out into the streets because we don't have the opportunity. So, let's speak to the opportunity of So, I fought all of that. Fought all of that. I got somewhere. So, I learned how to cut hair in prison. One of the best one of the best barbers that I know, right? Changing lives. So, I go to get my license. I go through school, pay for school, do all of that stuff. When it comes licensing time, they're like, "Well, you got a felony. We you you got to fight. You got to fight for it." So, I had to go I had to I had to go all around different places

to fight for that license because I wouldn't be told no. But how many people have been beaten down, you know, that that don't have that will to keep on going, to keep on striving, to keep on getting it, you know. So, we need something that gives the opportunity. if given that opportunity. I mean, what what can happen in Augusta? You know, even when you look at housing once you get a felony, they said, "Hey, you we want three months. We want three months for you to get adequate housing to get out of the neighborhood that you were once in to get somewhere safe. They want three months up ahead of and I think I think that has changed, but that was something that affected us. They want three Where's a person going to get three months without a job? and then you can't get a great job because you got a felony. So the the it's stacked against us. So we have to do something. We have to figure out what we going to do to be able to to to to get this community back up and thriving. And just like they said, a working community is a safe community. You take the jobs out of the community, what's going to happen? People have to feed their families. People, a kid, a kid does not know. They don't understand that daddy is changing his life. Daddy got to figure it out, but he can't get a job because he made a mistake. That kid just know that they need Pampers and they need something to eat. And what what does a person do? What does a father do? What does a mother do? They make it happen any kind of way. And then we get penalized. And even though I know it's not right, but we still get penalized for being penalized. So what what what does that do? That creates a rolling cycle. And then what happens from there? The money goes into places where it's not needed. it's needed back into the community. So, we got to we got to find some kind of way to change, some kind of way to give back. And I think that this this would really help that. Thank you.

Thank you. Want to also acknowledge Commissioner Tony Lewis who is here with us today. Commissioner Lewis, thank you.

All right. How you doing? My name Cory Thompson. I'm just going to speak from live experience. Um, when I got out of prison, I got out of prison like 21 when I was in Alto. Got out, got a job plumbing, doing HVAC, worked about 30 days, got fired because of my criminal background. Got another job working at Coca-Cola. Worked about 30 days driving fortlift. Got fired because of my criminal background. So, I went to the best thing I know, end up getting a license in the feds. I mean, just being real. So I got out by the blessing of God. Got out the feds. Was in the feds. While I was in the feds, I was programming. I was working for the federal government doing um electrical work apprentichip program for three years. Got out, went to IBW with those skills. I'm an apprentichip through Department of Leo. Applied for a job. They refused me. So what I end up having to do, I I went to um Atlanta Technical College. went up in the left technical college board business was down there BMI was down there they was holding a second chance summit went down there seen other guys speaking I was going in road go back to school for electrical for myself they speaking I'm looking guys talking to the youth about second chances whatever not so I'm like they pulled me like you might need to listen to this so I went in there listening I said man y'all really speaking to the choir you know what I mean I'm out here. I'm getting out like everything y'all saying. Y'all been in jail doing this here, whatever, not but they was coming out doing the right thing. And I and I appreciated that. And I'm like, but y'all speaking to the choir. I'm having these same struggles y'all talking about now. I need help. So, um, I end up connecting with Bard Business. They gave me a chance opportunity, which was a blessing. You know what I'm saying? I'm still going to school at Lar Tech, but every day I work with people with

re-entry back in society trying to help them get jobs, housing. They come to me, call me a thousand times a day, thousand people call on the weekend. I go to all these uh job fairs for them cuz some of them can't go 10 for them, get the information, send it to them, they still get knocked down because of their criminal record. So I look at it like those guys gonna end up in the same place I'm at that I did with a life sentence in prison because of they can't get hired. So I be like I try my best to help them. You know what I'm saying? But at the end of the day we y'all got to help. Y'all got to make some type of laws or something change or these dudes won't get no license sentence and go back to prison.

And so Simpkins You good? You sure? All right. We'll put that in the record. All right. Anthony Brown, Harold Dobby, Sherry Shepard. Sherry or Sheree. I'm sorry. Don't let me mispronounce your name now. Good afternoon everybody.

My name is Anthony Brown. Um, I'm a restorative justice advocate. I'm a writer. I'm an organizer with Black Male Initiative. Black Male Initiative is a 501c3 organization. Uh we seek to create effective outcomes in our community by empowering black men uh economically and civically through the use of direct action, advocacy, and grassroots organizing. Before I was an organizer with BMI, I had attempted to get a job at the Hyatt. And I looked at this old email that I want to share. It says, "Congratulations, Anthony, on your offer of employment. We are so excited for you to join our team. Thank you for signing your offer letter. I just sent over your background check via Hierite. Please complete the steps via the link in the email. Can you please uh email it back? Once your background check comes back, you will join our team. Nevertheless, I didn't uh get the job because my last conviction was over 20 years ago for bank robbery. Um this job position was paying $11.50 50 Cent in 2023. Uh today, I'm 5 years post incarceration, I was able to get an opportunity with BMI. And I didn't come on as a coordinator. I came on as a canvaser. I worked my way up to the um to the position where I'm at right now, which is a restorative justice coordinator. Um I do a lot of work um eliminating barriers to re-entry for people and advocating for people. I bring this up because it was just so frustrating because I I gave it my best shot when I went in for this job interview. I was dressed apart. I was on time. I had a resume. I had a Department of um labor um bonding letter. I had a work opportunity tax credit. But that I still got discriminated against for a poor decision that I made over two decades ago. I don't feel like that serves the public any justice because here I am after that job. I'm still on the same job that I went to three years later. Um I'm showing a lot of

integrity. I'm showing a lot of growth. I'm coachable. I'm manageable. But people cannot see that if they just strictly discriminate on past decisions. So that's all I wanted to share. Thank you. I'm a little tall, so I'm have to grab a mic. How everybody doing today?

My name is Harold Dobby III. I was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia. I went to East Augusta. I went to Lucy Craft Laney. I also graduated from Augusta University with a bachelor's degree in communication public relation. And 2016, I uh started working at DSM Chemicals. 2018, I started my nonprofit. It's called Books and Life Lessons. But unfortunately in 2019 I got into some trouble. But at the time I got out on bun and I was still working at DSM Chemicals. My case end up going to court in 2022 which I took a open plea and I had no knowledge on how a open plea worked. So unfortunately when I went to court October the 6, 2022, I was sentenced to 20 years probation and I was ordered to pay a restitution of $155,000 within 12 months time. And from now I know it's like over 200,000 people in Georgia, but less than 1% would have been able to pay $155,000 in 12 months time. And so they asked me to do that in October. So when the case finally I got sentenced, I was released from DSM chemicals. So I paid towards the restitution as I could every month. Of course, the first couple months up until November, I was paying a little more, but after November, since I lost my job, I had no other income. I was paying what I can to survive. I got two kids also. and my mom is on disability, so I was helping her. So, unfortunately, it was it was days that we didn't know where

our next meal was coming from. So, I was struggling the whole 2022. And unfortunately, in 2023, I got called back to court cuz they gave me 12 months to pay this money. On October the 12th, 2023, they sentenced me to 45 years in prison for not being able to pay $155,000 in 12 months. Now, if I would have been able to keep my job and continue to work, would I have been able to pay more money? Yes, I would have. I had not been on this job for four years, not Mr. day. I haven't been late. I had no writeups. So, it wasn't my attendance. It wasn't my ability to work. It wasn't my credentials. It was my background. And so, they sent me to prison for 45 years, I did 13 months off that and I came home. And since I went when I went to prison, I went back to school while I was in prison. I went and got a social in business and uh service technology, workplace diversity, solving problems. I end up getting nine other certification while I was in prison. And so when they released me from prison, I won my appeal on September the 26th. And I was released from prison on September the 26th. The day I was released from prison, Richmond County picked me back up the same day I was released from prison after the appeal board vacated my sentence and put me back in the county jail. I stayed in the county jail till December 3rd on no charges. And once they released me from the county jail, they sentenced me back to the same original sentence that sent me to

prison. So, as of to this day, they still asking me to pay $155,000. Only thing they changed was if instead of me paying $13,000 a month, $13,000 a month, they asked me to pay $500 a month. But still, I had never had no restitution hearing. So, they don't know if I'm unable to pay or anything. They never took my finance situation in consideration. And it's still a struggle for me to find a job. And like I say, it's not my credentials. I got a college degree. I got a social degree. And I got nine other certifications. I got industry experience. I done worked up under industry job for seven years. And it's like it's an impact. And I'm walking around here every day not knowing is this going to send me back to prison because I can't afford to pay $500 a month. The jobs that I apply for that I'm eligible for, they won't hire me because of my background. and the ones that's willing to hire me saying I'm overqualified because of my education. So, it's like I'm in a lose-lose situation. And like I said, I had a nonprofit since 2017 and another incident. I was coaching basketball at Langford and they told me I couldn't be on the bench because I was a felon. So, not only is not is not only a pack to me, but it's impacting the youth in the community because I can't keep my nonprofit running because I can't afford to pay the renewal fees. I can't afford to coach these kids. And since I've been home, I've been motivated speaking and I got a book and I've been trying to tell kids my story and it's only certain campuses campus that I can go on and certain ones won't allow me to go on because of my background. So, if I was able to get the right job, I can make an effort a better a better payment towards the restitution. And if

I do that, do I go to prison? Who knows? Because I I I don't think, well, there's only a certain amount of jobs around here that you could be affordable to pay $155,000 comfortably in a year. So, I would like, you know, for Bander Box to not only help me, to help the community because I'm trying everything I can in my power to do the right thing cuz I done saw both sides and I don't wish prison on nobody. That is not a place to be. And I attempted to do the right thing. And I was seen as 45 years in prison. I hate to say it like this, but because I was poor. Because that's what it boils down to. I couldn't afford to pay $155,000 in 12 months. And now to this day, like I say, the jobs that I'm qualified for not hire me because of my background. And the ones that I can walk into and work, they saying I'm overqualified because of my education here history. And I refuse to dummy myself down for someone else. And still, if I do go to McDonald's or somewhere and get a job, I still can't afford to pay $500 a month cuz I got two kids. I got bills, got insurance. It's a lot that I got to pay. And like I say, I every day I wake up, I'm wondering if they going to send me back to prison because I can't afford to pay this because of my background. And that's my story.

Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Sher Shepard. Sheree Shepard. Am I saying your name right? I'm sorry. Please correct me when you come up. I want to respect that. Respect your name. It's okay. And I apologize. My name is Sher Shepard. And um I say is um they have said I just want to say that um I support the class of everything that they had said and I believe that I'm possibility be here for a reason because um I was doing community service and I was in the wrong spot. I was trying to go to another building and I found Bay Class and um ever since then to try to do community service. Um Mr. Corey, he's been helping me out with my community service. So everything that they said, it could be anybody and I don't know what I would do because um if I was in their shoes because I have six children so that would be bad on my end. But yeah, I just want to say I support everything that they said and also I pray that it's okay to say that um John 14:14 says if we ask anything in his name then it should be. So I ask this to be in Yosua's name and that's all I want to say.

Thank you all. We have Gregory Williams, Tekai Tinsley, Jackie Rose, and Rosalyn Calhoun in that order.

Good afternoon. Uh, I was just I got got, but I'mma tell you this right here. I'm I'm glad I'm here today. Um, you just never know, you know. I'm a I'm an Augusta guy. Um, born and raised. I left the area when I graduated high school in 1996. Um, I'm a I'm a first generation business owner, construction firm, one of the one of the largest in the area. I'm very interested to understand how we can navigate and create alliances, especially with a government and city-driven plan that gives accountability and the type of support we need to be able to give the recovery programs for what the stories we're hearing today. I I'll be honest with you. When my father came up to um DC and recruited me to come back and work for him in the family business, um you know, I was making I was making money, so I was feeling good. I was living in DC, traveling to Omaha, Nebraska, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Um one of the things I told myself, if I come back, I got to go to the A. I can't come back to Augusta. Augusta wasn't doing anything for us from a from a contracting standpoint. The reason my father was successful in his business because he had a trade. He could do something with his hands. He was a he was he was an um top pipe fitter out of the local two union in New York back in the 60s. Uh came down here started his own mechanical contracting firm. I mean minority own back in the 60s7s and 80s and Augusta that we know here. It's only probably about two of us. Uh he went on to work in plants that he many people can get into. Uh we've been out at Savannah Riverside for 31 years as a business, minority owned business. With that being said, I went

to Atlanta and I had the chance to work with people that had, you know, criminal backgrounds. I partnered with a church um redemption over in East Point and I had partnered with them and we was we was doing a lot of sidewalk concrete sidewalk work. And I'll be honest with you, I don't know which one of y'all said it, but you know, they was they was paying $7 but getting 15. I was sitting over there feeling bad cuz I was one of those. You know what I'm saying? But I'll say this right here. The pastor and I got together and I was like, you know what? We rolling. At the time in uh in Gwynette County, they were doing a lot of these PDF strips for handicapped people. when they walking, they got to hit the little strips on the lines on the sidewalks. That was just something new. DOT had just came out with it. Said every city got to do it. They was throwing it up in all cities. Augusta was late to the party, but they eventually got to it. You know what I'm saying? But my point was we was we was in Duth, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Roland. I messed around and I did hire and I and and at the time my leadership was like, "No, what are you doing? What are you doing?" I'm like, "Man, shoot. These guys know what they doing. We just got to create a program for them to keep them consistent and give them consistent work because if they if you got work they going to show up because they making they making money. They not making the the $8 an hour. We was sitting there paying them 15. You know, my father came to me and said, "Hey, these guys making you money. What do you can't pay these guys no $8 an hour?" You know what I'm saying? And so we end up redoing it. But what ended up happening, we was rolling so fast at the time, the PDF strips, and that was it was a lot of my fault cuz I was I was 23 24 years old trying to trying to do a 750 almost a million dollar project. And what happened on those strips is that they had these mats that you put on the strips and I had the guys trying to hand join them and a lot of them had drug

issues, all kind of other little issues and stuff. And so we couldn't get it right. And so I end up uh what's crazy is um I end up going in arbitration with the city of Norcross back in 2002. Kind of kind of humbled me, which was a good thing. Uh cuz what it did, it allowed me to just to be more particular in and strategically, but I was telling Dean, I think I mentioned this to you a little bit, but um I really wish I would have stuck with the plan. I created a and Doby I remember your story, man. Remember, I was trying to recruit you back in the days to lead a boy girl club, but you want to stay with the hood. You know, on the flip side of it, I run a nonprofit organization here in Augusta, Georgia called Power Rise Foundation. Back in the days, it was called Augusta Power Foundation. I remember you used to ref some of my events before you got too big time for me. You know what I'm saying? You know what I mean? So, one of my biggest goals was was no student loans. Hashtag no student loans. I've helped put over 150 kids in college with the with the vehicle of basketball, using that as a vehicle to be able to get them college scholarships. You know, we can get caught up in the board of education and not qualifying our kids, not understanding how to qualify our kids. We still got the same situation going on today. You know, we Augusta went through a big spill with graduation coaches back in the uh uh early 2000s and stuff, but yeah, it probably did help people graduate, but one of the one of the the niches that I was in, it didn't help us, you know, understanding a a young black kid coming into high school, keeping him away from a vocational education pathway, which at the time, the college school system held us back because if you had a vocational background, you really weren't eligible to get no college scholarship. you had you had to be on a college preparatory level. So, my point is I um like I said, I was set up, but I'm here to help. And I'm I'm a contractor here in the area. Anything I'm just telling you, you know, I've

we've done renovation out at DJJ. Uh I don't Mike Padet. We've we've worked with that facility right there on transitional kids. I just had one of my guys uh Ahmad Jam Seline just came home. You know what I'm saying? And I was the first one to get them set up out there at Bridgewater. I was trying to get them out there at the site. But I'll tell I'll be honest with you, it's hard for me to get you guys out on the federal sites because they going to get you right when I try to get your badge. Now here in the streets, I can do some things. You know what I'm saying? You know, and but it just helps like my man, you you threw some numbers. Who that guy was about the million? You threw some numbers. Like I'm I'm sitting here like why would the city want to see something like that? You know, I heard Dimma tell me something about, man, we trying to create a progressive movement and stuff. And I'm like, man, I don't want to sit in my hut here in Augusta. I want to I want to spread my wings. You know what I'm saying? And help other people spread their wings, too. So, if it's something I can do, you know, I'mma do. But I I'll tell you this right here, and it's my last spill. It starts off at the youth, like Dobby was just saying. We got Richmond County recreation departments that close their doors to the community. There's no Greg Williams and 150 plus kids getting college scholarships # no student loan if it's not for Miss DS over at Bell Terrace. If it's not for the late brother Frank Booker that just passed away at McDuffy Woods getting us in. We got fortunate that we had to take our efforts over to Columbia County Patriots Park at the time because it was brand new to get any type of success. We couldn't even get in. Now, Garrett Garrett community centers were was receptive to us, but you can't even get in these facilities now. Now, I will say this right here, Doby, we got a lot of crazy stuff going on. We don't have the right leadership going on. So, you guys got to protect the Henry Bighgams of the world that y'all put a million dollars in. You got to protect the Garretts that you partnering with and all that stuff. And and I get that. I just heard some

bad news the other day and I was telling somebody in Dimma, I'm sorry. I I got to I I'm I'm willing and I'm able, but I think it has to be a partnership. The city of Augusta has to get back to the point to where our recreation systems are inviting to community-based programs. What are you talking about? We we pay taxes to keep that building open. You can have the initiative to create programs to create the revenue to keep those buildings open. Our our counterpartners over here at Riverview, they should be passionate to you. They just voted on February 26. If it's not Nike or the Nike Scholastic Tournament coming into Riverview, they're not going to let event operators host any more events there. I've been in Riverview since 2006 paying5 $10,000 an event to that place. They literally told me this right here. All the money goes to Augusta. Nobody stays over here when we host events over here in Riverview. That should piss you guys off. I'm not saying North Augusta don't need to take care of North Augusta. They do. And they've separated their sports council from Augusta, which is hurt because now y'all are diving up the money two different ways besides partner and finding a way to alliance together. Secondly, and everything like I was telling them the other day, how can you say that right there? Y'all have the Crown Plaza and three or four other little mom and pop type hotels. Guess what? People that play in our events, my events, or whether it be my counterparts events, they're going to stay in those hotels first before they come over to Augusta. You guys got 10 plus restaurants around the area, and y'all been doing a hell of a job creating some nice restaurants over there. Like, they got choices. Everybody's googling where they want to eat at cuz everybody wants to go where the high reviews at. And North Augusta has some high review restaurants right there in that area right there. But they've shut down

grassroot basketball events in this area. I've been at you check check my math. Check my track record. Great Augusta Sports Council got it for almost half a decade. I brought $2 million economic impact into the area. $3 million worth of economic impact in the area. A million dollars worth of economic impact was awarded. Now I ain't been invited back for a long time because sports councils are divided. You understand I'm saying? So don't nobody want to give recognition to that. And we didn't even get a grant from the Greater Augusta Sports Council. We didn't even get anything. But at the end of the day, I know that our events when we're bringing in 60 to 110 plus teams, just myself alone, the economic development impact that we're doing at the hotels, the restaurants, and the entertainment that's going on down there at u on Broad Street, we made an impact. But you and you guys eat off that that that goes into your budget. You know what I'm saying? It may have helped to do something downtown. You know what I'm saying? So, my point is, like I said, I don't know how Thema I appreciate this. I got set up good, but we'll figure out a way. If y'all need me, I I have no problem trying to figure out a way. I just want to be 1% of the solution or or a percentage point of the solution and we can figure it out. All right. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Takad Tinsley. New nickname is Blue Fi Takai. Here we go. Go Mob. Go Mob. Fall the Caps in the room to my right. Love to hear it, brother.

For those who don't know me, I'm Takai Tinsley, the campaign and organizing manager at Bard Business. Uh today, I won't have the opportunity to speak on behalf of a voting member of Augusta. I'm not a resident down here, but I am a community advocate and a community leader. Uh I also have the privilege uh much like you all sitting in front of me of not being a directly just as impacted individual and luckily I'm able to use my resources and grace being a black man in the south in this position to work at bar business and serve people in this uh community. I will just highlight a few things for you all in my time here. Um, starting with what I just mentioned, the privilege that I do have, um, but also the reality I have as a black man in the South, being college educated, political science major, criminal justice minor, uh, I've worked in the community for over a decade. And although I am not directly justice impacted, it is still very hard and stressful and strife and feeling to create a sustainable life for myself in Georgia. And I just want us all to remember, you know, that lived reality of many of you sitting in front of me, even though majority of the population down here in Augusta is and has been formerly incarcerated. And I also want you all to just think about any mistakes you might have made in your past and how detrimental it would be to you today if something you did 5, 10, 12 years ago was following you everywhere you went to the grocery store, to the bank, to the leasing office, to your wife, to your kids, you were always reminded of just a mistake you made. And I I'll put my life, my mother on the line to think that, you know, nobody in this room is perfect. Nobody in Augusta, nobody in Georgia is perfect. And the privilege that many of us have that escape the criminal justice system and

develop a lifestyle and get lucky and can get a job and, you know, wear a suit and tie every day and have a mortgage and how stressful it might have been for you to get there. Imagine how much more if the trauma that comes with having the record that you have served and are fighting to recreate for yourself was just always a constant reminder. No matter of how much work you've done, no much, you know, hours you've put in, everybody just keeps reminding you. And that's essentially what the commission has been doing to the people of Augusta. You know, I've worked as a bridge to the community for the state of Georgia on a municipal, federal, and state level. And I'll say being the bridge has become pretty easy. It's only difficult when the gate at the end of the bridge remains shut. And I want you all to, you know, follow the metaphor here, but you essentially are the gate. You know, the people are doing the work. We're here advocating for most of the people that live down here in Augusta. And it's been a fight that has been ongoing for far too long. And I also want you all to consider how much gratitude this city, this side of Georgia would have for you all if you were the spearhead, the beginning, the first thought of a journey like this for Georgia, of having a statewide protected class versus being one of the lingering last few counties and cities that just jump on the bandwagon when it's already done. Because I'll be honest with you all, it's going to happen eventually. It's inevitable. You know, whether you're on the train now or later, that's a story you want to create for yourselves as community leaders, as elected officials, and as residents of Augusta. Are you going to share the story that you were part of this movement to create a better lifestyle for the people that you represent, or do you want the story to be you had no other choice cuz the rest

of Georgia was already running ahead of you? I want to also highlight I want to also highlight the the fact that you know there there there's just an abundance of lackluster energy that I I've received in general from committee councils and city councils across the state of Georgia when it comes to recognizing the the the authority that you essentially have at the end of the day. Um you sit in these meetings time and time again. you hear people and uh for a lot of elected officials, words go in one ear and out the other. You know, I'm a move forward assuming that none of these words are falling on deaf ears by I I just want you all to genuinely realize that, you know, this means a lot to some people, even if it doesn't mean anything to you. I have interacted between my collegiate career and community organizing career with formerly incarcerated people I consider friends, peers, mentors, and mentees. And just to backtrack a little bit on to how I mentioned, you know, just being black around in the south already is hard enough. You know, even college educated young men like me find it hard to find a job, get loans. Last year I was unemployed for majority of 2025 and it was survival mode. And just considering the reality of how much further I would have been down in a, you know, detriment in a in a negative if I also had my past following me wherever I go. And I'm not saying you know what mistakes you've made in the past are terrible, great, or anywhere in between, but you know, you have that grace because you were lucky. I I I I I feel very fervently that everyone sitting in front of me today has done some type of devian in society and you just had the right person in your corner. You didn't have the right eyes on you. And that's the only reason

you're not standing where I am today advocating for the justice impacted community of Augusta. And like I said, you can either be at the forefront of this fight or at the back end. But we're all here. The cameras are on. They're taking camera pictures. And I'm going to still be here at the end of the fight to remind you all that you could have been here with me. But I hope you are. And thank you for hearing me. Thank you. It's Jackie Rose.

I have prepared a speech because first of all this is too. So, I'll go ahead and take this. I prepared my own speech because I use very colorful language. So, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jackie, and I'm here today not just as an advocate, but as a daughter. I'm the biological daughter of two justice impacted parents. I'm also the adopted daughter of a justice impacted father and a mother who has spent her life carrying the weight of loving people the world decided were not worthy of second chances. So when we talk about policies that affect justice impacted people, we are not just talking about individuals. We're talking about families and children and we're talking about entire communities. Because I stand here today as someone who has lived the reality of what it means when society holds people hostage to their past. As a daughter of a justice impacted parents, I have watched my parents navigate systems that they didn't even understand. Systems that were never designed to help them heal or rebuild. And when parents are locked out of opportunity, when they cannot get jobs, and when they cannot get housing, when stability is always just out of reach because of their past, their children carry the burden, too. Their families carry that burden, and their communities carry that burden. And yet, even after people have served their time, even if they they have paid their debts, they continue to face discrimination every single day. They're denied jobs, they are denied housing, and they are denied opportunities to rebuild their lives. So what we are saying today is actually very simple. Punishment should not last forever. Making justice impacted people a protected class is not about excusing harm. It is about recognizing humanity. It is about acknowledging their parents deserve the opportunity to move forward and contribute to their communities. But I also want to address something that gets said in these conversations all the time. People say justice impacted people deserve a second chance. And while that sounds good, the language actually is part of the problem because just as impacted people don't just need chances,

they need opportunities. A chance means someone might let you try. And opportunity means the door is actually open. A chance still leaves you your future in someone else's hands. The opportunity allows you to build a future for yourself. And right now, far too many justice impacted people are told they deserve a chance while every door that will allow them to rebuild their lives is still locked. So the question is not whether people deserve another chance. The real question is, are we willing to create opportunities for people who have already paid their debt to society? Because right now, too many people in our communities are living under a permanent sentence, a sentence that is of exclusion. But we know something different. We know that people are more than the worst thing they have ever done. We know that redemption is real. We know that growth is real. And we know that transformation is real. And if we truly believe in justice, then our policies must reflect that belief. Creating protections for justice impacted people ensures that those people who have paid their debt are not locked out of opportunities that allow them to rebuild themselves. Because when you deny someone the chance to rebuild, you are not just punishing them. You are punishing everyone who loves them. I stand here today not only as an advocate, but as a daughter who has carried that weight twice. And I believe our communities deserve better. So as the people in this room who have the power to shape policy, the power to write laws, and the power to create regulations and rules that impact real lives, I ask you to remember something simple. The people that are making decisions are about about the people you are making decisions about are actually humans. They are parents. They are children. They are neighbors. They are members of our community. They are human beings who deserve dignity, opportunity, and the ability to rebuild themselves. So when you leave here today, I ask you to do one thing. Give these people what they deserve as humans while you as humans are making rules and regulations for other humans. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. And last but not least, Rosalyn Calhoun.

Good afternoon. I'm going to be brief because I know your two o'clock appointment. We're going to get you out of here for that because we want you to say yes and continue saying yes for us. Um, my name is Roslin. I stand here before you as a justice impacted person. And what does that mean? That means that the Department of Corrections opened the door for me, allowed me to walk out, told me this is my time to have my second chance, to start my life over, to go out there and be great. But yet my first opposition was trying to have a place to stay, trying to find a job, trying to make sure that I can rebuild myself. So why would you want to say no and close that door for a person coming out, starting their life again? Why would you want to say no to an apartment? Why would you want to say no for a job, for school? You have the power to make these homeowners, to make these uh rental properties, to make these organizations, to make these businesses start saying yes because putting a policy in place, they don't want to be sued. Putting a policy in place means that they are going to have to start saying yes so that we can have that real second chance that we deserve. Just like she said, our punishment was over when we walked out the door. So now it's time for that. Yes. Because why? Do you know that stress can kill you? Stress is real. High blood pressure is real. And it can kill you. I had a best friend who served a life sentence. Came home after 30 years, had a great job. when it was time for her to get her promotion because she did absolutely

amazing on her job. They ran an additional background check. Although the first background check she said yes, she had a criminal background because of that promotion and it was the second time for them to check. They fired her after she was a home owner. She had bought her own car. She was taking care of her children, having a great life. But now it was time for her to go find a job and them st starting to say no, no, no. Every time she tried it was no, no, no. Because of that background check. So every night she went to bed defeated and every morning she woke up with a renewed spirit to try to go again. But that stress, losing your house, that stress, losing your car, that stress, losing your mind, that stress will kill you. And that's exactly what it did. Because that no is real when we can't have that real second chance to get out there to do a real great job to be back in society and live a good life like we have deserved to because we've paid our debt to society. So now we need you to help us to continue to push through and have that real real second chance. Thank you.

Thank you. We're going to uh hear from uh Mr. Marshall for one additional minute and then we're going to uh we're going to hear from our commissioners if they so choose to speak and then we'll adjourn our work session for the day.

I appreciate I didn't want to get on the plane and be flying back to the city to realize I forgot to say stuff that could have made a difference. The first thing on the federal level, the Fair Consumer Reporting Act, it requires background check companies to report only accurate information. Accurate information. Most background check companies or all of them are private businesses, third-party entities. They do not communicate with local or state government. Expungements, seal records, or quids. These convictions oftent times are cleared in a local and state database. state troopers, clerks of courts, but the background check company, they retain the data permanently. They never change the records. So, if a person's record is expuned or sealed or they receive a quiddle or an exoneration yesterday, the background check company may have bought those records 10 years ago. So, it never changing their record. So when an employer does a background check, this acquitt expuns a seal conviction will still show up in the third party database. You follow me? They don't talk. We're trying to correct that in New Orleans. The second thing I want to say, so me and Bridgetette often fly around the country because we're a part of what's called a protected class network. We got authority partners all around the state. We help people do what we're doing right now. give them an understanding to make the best decision concerning just impacted people. We get push back between the lawsuit

component and the human relations commissioner component. So I just want to be clear, New Orleans has an enforcable right. We can sue our government. But there are some cities or some local municipalities that has put teeth in their human relations commission protocol. You can do that here. You can add more teeth. Don't make it discretionary. Some laws say may the human relations commissioner may investigate a complaint discrimination. Make that a shell and give due weight and due consideration to every complaint that a person has. Don't make it discretionary because often times discretionary proceedings they all get swept under rug. They might have a bad head day and they don't want to investigate the complaint. Make it a shell. And my final point is this. When the phone rang for medical department, somebody gets shot, medical departments are the first responders and arrest police departments, the fire, fire department, those are first responders. But when it comes to social justice advocacy, everybody in this room are first responders. When that phone rang, I got to answer the call. A social adjust impacted person, they have nowhere else to turn but to the advocates that are doing the work. So, we become the first responders. You a first responder, man. Every commissioner that's doing his work, we are the first responders. And if we don't answer the call, they don't get answered.

Thank you so much, Mr. Marshall. And and again, thank you to everyone who spoke today. Again, this is this is the first meeting of what we believe is a great opportunity to address an issue in our community that has just been here. And uh you know, we've passed bander box years ago, but here's our opportunity to expand the possibilities here. And so, I'm excited about what that looks like, and I'm certainly grateful for your input. Um you guys are you own it and so I just want to appreciate you for that. Okay. Um I want to also share before I pass the microphone that there are a number of initiatives that we have taken upon ourselves to address. Um one of those issues being jail population. As you know our county jail is overcrowded and there's a conversation right now about whether or not to expand well to build another jail pod and you know allocate additional dollars towards that. The conversations that we're having is about how do we process cases alone? How do we get folks in front of a judge? How do we how do we enact some of these conversations that we're having today at our courthouse? Well, if folks are released from Finy Road, they're going to need somewhere to work, right? They're going to need somewhere to live. And so, we are having intentional conversations about our jail population. We're having intentional conversations today about employment. Commissioner Pium is having intentional conversations about housing. Um, and then I think next is this whole conversation about probation in Augusta. All of the work that we're trying to do, the Thank you. all all of the work that we're talking about, the topics that we're talking about, they're they're on point. And I want you to know that your voices are being heard. And um again, we are going to take at our next meeting a look at a draft ordinance. We're going to dig through it. I want as many of you to come back as possible, fill this room up, and we have to go to the chambers. Let's make it happen. Uh but we're going to look through a draft ordinance. We're going to talk about what it could look like for the city of Augusta. And uh again, we're going to we're going to get something to committee. Okay. So, thank

y'all for being here. I want to acknowledge my colleagues on the commission. Commission Lewis.

Yes. I just want to uh you know, I've heard a lot of um passion being exuded from those that have been impacted and are and remain impacted by uh such atrocities that we have in within our municipal governments. Uh I want you to know we've heard you. Uh we're working diligently towards uh resolving some of these um some of these initiatives that have been put in place that continues to hold individuals down as you've already stated that have you you've served your time. You've uh you've been awarded an opportunity to walk out of a system and now all you want is an opportunity to be to regain what dignity that you have left to provide and to show that you are capable of of re reinstituting yourself back into a society whereby you can be productive and that's all you ask for is that opportunity. I don't like the chance word again. I like the word that the young lady used as an opportunity. An opportunity. And that's what uh that's what we want to help create here within this municipality. So, I appreciate all of your candidness that you uh exuded today. You open up your heart. You're passionate about not only your position, but others that are just like you. and for those that have come traveled here uh carrying the torch uh holding up the blood stain banner for people that are impacted uh because of issues like this and things like this. I

salute you and your advocacy. Continue to work. Continue to put in the work. Continue to do the work. Even if it only helps and helps one individual, then your work has not been in vain because it what's produced out of the work is the results that we're looking for. So again, we uh we salute all of you and it just lets us know we have some work to do here in this city. So, we're willing to roll up our sleeves to make sure that this this work gets done and that everybody has an opportunity to get back into this society and be productive. Again, thank you. Thank uh our panel here. We thank our attorney who's been over here listening intently to what's been what's been done and they'll be the ones that would help us to rewrite these uh initiative of helping you all to get back to where you belong. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you,

Commissioner Scott.

Well, again, thank you all for coming. Um, we hear you loud and clear and uh, as Commissioner uh, Johnson said, at our next uh, meeting, maybe this will be more of a working and maybe all you come in and we'll have smaller sessions uh, and move around to see where we can go. And I know we'll go somewhere uh and getting um you back to a space where you can live, enjoy, and have fun in Augusta. Thank you all so much um for sharing your stories. I was sitting over here saying, Stacy, don't get emotional. Don't get emotional. and um because I oftent times do. They weren't just stories, it was real life. And I'm so glad that the cameras are rolling because this is where change begins. I would like to thank Commissioner Johnson because just for this being on your heart and to move it forward. Um, you have our support and I'm hoping we have the support of all of our colleagues as well. But when you know that the person that's leading the charge sees things to the final destination, that gives you solitude. And I know that you will do that, Commissioner Johnson, and you definitely have our support. Um, for everyone that presented on today,

all I can all I keep hearing over and over and over again is trust God. And I don't mean that in a way of just pray. I mean truly trust God. And as we continue to come together, because Commissioner Lewis, when you said that one is impactful, when you strike a match, that match by itself is just a match. But when you throw it into a forest, it lights up and it catches. And I truly believe that this is going to catch wind and fire. So we have to be very diligent. We have to keep pushing. It can't just, as the young man said, go in one ear and come out the other. We have to put action behind it. And I am dedicated to putting action behind it. Thank all of you, everyone in this room, attorney Plunkett, thank you for being here, for our media, for every person that's in this room. Thank you because you heard something. And my prayer is what you heard, it will get to your heart because that's where change really begins. Thank you all so much.

All right. Well, thank you all so much for your time and your attention. I ask that you stay uh connected to however you found about this meeting. We're going to put out notice about the next workshop which will happen uh very soon. you know, we have a little small golf course, uh, golf tournament coming up that we're going to have to plan this around, but please stay tuned, okay? Because we're going to we're going to we're going to push this and work for it. All right, meeting adjourned. Thank you.