API Reentry Inclusion Support & Empowerment

Social support networks

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Formerly incarcerated (“FI”) API’s are often “othered” in Los Angeles, especially refugee and immigrant API’s. The majority flee as very young children from war-torn countries, endure poverty, being over-sentenced as juveniles, and being pitted against other communities of color. API family members suffer from stigma, shame, and oftentimes, limited ability to navigate the judicial system due to language barriers and fear of government. FI API’s frequently experience tremendous isolation.
64.6 percent of API prisoners are immigrants and refugees: already-distressed immigrant and refugee communities often bear the weight of API prisoner re-entry.
API prisoners are committed at a younger age than prisoners of other racial backgrounds. Over one-fifth of API inmates serve sentences of 25 or more years and serve the longest sentences compared to all other racial groups. Release after longer sentences mean greater social and psychological challenges to successfully re-integrate.

API RISE is the only API Reentry program in LA. These funds are crucial in enabling us to innovate two programs and pilot one program. A through-line for all API RISE programs is that we cultivate skills building through paid co-leadership and co-facilitation opportunities for our community, rather than programs being exclusively staff driven. Member/Community Care ideally begins the moment a brother, sister, or sibling reenters society from incarceration. API RISE needs on-going funds for culturally appropriate bi-weekly support groups; monthly social-educational-recreational gatherings with allies; and broad-based community building with other marginalized groups, including cross-cultural learning and LGBTQ awareness. API RISE partners with local groups for services that we do not have, such as employment, substance abuse treatment, and reentry housing. Trauma care/daily living support: coaching, traditional and non-traditional counseling, healing circles, grief spaces, and “healthy” anger expression; linkages/referrals to job, education, healthcare, housing, and safety-nets. (New) Trauma informed Leadership Development (youth and adults): cultivates self-awareness, decision-making skills, individual and group processes, and will result in the production of short PSA’s that promote healing, unity, violence prevention, and “know your rights” information. We can reach a wider audience through social media, and need funds for content development and other digital support.

Now in our 4th year of funding, we design our programs to impact LA as follows:
90% of our active members are stable and do not recidivate
50% of our undocumented members are on a path to citizenship (however, much of this is impacted by state and federal policy; and ability to pay legal/filing fees)
85% self-report a sense of belonging, which results in a reduction in substance abuse relapse, depression, and other manifestations of isolation
LA County residents, programs, and parole/probation officers, have a bonafide reentry resource for FI API’s Ethno-racial division is reduced through our community building initiatives
LA 2050 funds also enable API RISE to continue longer-term strategic development and fundraising, primarily with the philanthropic community, since most government reentry programs are not culturally appropriate for us and do not adequately address generational trauma from war, poverty, and systemic profiling (of undocumented refugees, API gang members, etc.)

Collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data continues to be a growth area for API RISE, as we are immersed in front-line work. However, we have begun evaluative data collection through participant surveys, self-reports, empirical, and anecdotal data. Thus far, we have gleaned the following highlights:
90% of our active members are stable and have not recidivated
100% of our cross-cultural workshops have strengthened relationships
Violence prevention programs reveal that staff and interns are increasing their de-escalation, advocacy, mediation, and general social skills-set
Our social media (including “From Number to Name”) a live-stream production indicates that audience members have gained greater insights about the conditions contributing to incarceration and the triumphs, challenges, and hopes of our community post-incarceration
Public policy decision-makers are increasing their awareness about API’s on a local and state level