Let's Talk Cincy: A profile of former Cincinnati Council member Tamaya Dennard

CINCY, I ACTUALLY DON'T LIKE THE TERMS SECOND CHANCE. I DON'T LOVE IT. I MEAN, IT'S IT'S COMMON, BUT I LIKE THE TERMS FAIR CHANCE BECAUSE FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, THEY NEVER GOT A FIRST CHANCE HELPING. FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE GET A FRESH START. THE MISSION OF A FORMER CINCINNATI COUNCIL MEMBER WHO'S WALKING THAT SAME PATH JUST AHEAD, OUR CONVERSATION WITH TAMAYA DENNARD FROM WLWT. THIS IS LET'S TALK CINCY PRESENTED BY WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP, PUT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH BEHIND YOU. HELLO EVERYONE. I'M CURTIS FULLER AND WELCOME TO LET'S TALK CINCY. ACCORDING TO THE US BUREAU OF JUSTICE, ABOUT 600,000 PEOPLE ARE RELEASED FROM STATE AND FEDERAL PRISONS EACH YEAR. ONE YEAR LATER, AN ESTIMATED 60% FIND THEMSELVES WITHOUT A JOB IN CINCINNATI. THE CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES HELPS FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS FIND JOBS. IT IS LED BY FORMER CINCINNATI COUNCIL MEMBER TAMAYA DENNARD, HERSELF A FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSON. DINNER HAD PLED GUILTY TO WIRE FRAUD CHARGES BACK IN 2020, AND SERVED 11 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON. SHE WANTS YOU TO FOCUS ON THE WHOLE STORY OF A FORMERLY CONVICTED PERSON. WE BEGIN WITH DENNARD TELLING HER OWN STORY FROM COLLEGE HILL TO CINCINNATI CITY COUNCIL TO INCARCERATION, AND THEN RETURNING TO CINCINNATI, UM, COLLEGE HILL IS EVERYTHING TO ME. IT WILL ALWAYS BE EVERYTHING TO ME. I GREW UP THERE. I WENT TO COLLEGE HILL SCHOOL. I GRADUATED FROM AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL, UM, SPENT ALL MY SUMMERS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO SUMMER CAMP AT CHRIST COMMUNITY IN COLLEGE HILL. I MEAN, COLLEGE HILL IS BASICALLY WITHIN ME. AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT'S COLLEGE HILL WAS DIVERSE, BOTH AS A SCHOOL, AS A COMMUNITY AND ALL THAT DIVERSITY. UM, REALLY SHAPED ME IN MY OUTLOOK ON WHAT I THOUGHT COMMUNITY SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND MY FAMILY IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE PARENT WHO WAS THEN AND CONTINUES TO BE EVERYTHING TO ME, UH, OFFERED IMMENSE SUPPORT TO ME. I GREW UP WITH TWO OLDER BROTHERS, SO I'M THE YOUNGEST AND THE ONLY GIRL, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY I HAVE SUCH THICK SKIN. MY MOM JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, SHE RETIRED AFTER 35 YEARS OF WORK, OR 50 IN TOTAL, ABOUT 35 AT ONE PARTICULAR JOB. SO WHAT SHE INSTILLED IN ME IS THE APPRECIATION FOR HARD WORK, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S NO SHORTCUTS. AND MY MOM, SHE SHOWED ME THAT, AND THERE WAS NEVER A TIME WHERE EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS WORKING 2 OR 3 JOBS, SHE WAS NEVER, YOU KNOW, TOO BUSY. SHE WAS NEVER, EVER NOT SHE WAS NEVER NOT TOO BUSY TO READ WITH ME, PLAY GAMES WITH ME. I HAD A REAL CHILDHOOD. SO, UM, I'M GRATEFUL FOR HER. AND I CONTINUE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR HER AND HER ADVOCACY. UM, EVEN WHEN I WAS IN PRISON, SHE ADVOCATED FOR ME. AND I'LL NEVER FORGET, I LOVE MY MOM MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD. SO I STARTED MY CAREER IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CORPORATE SECTOR. BUT I TOOK A PAUSE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I LOVE WHAT I'M DOING, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M IMPACT ING THE WORLD IN THE WAY THAT I SHOULD. SO THAT IN COMBINATION WITH BEING INSPIRED BY THE OBAMA FIRST OBAMA CAMPAIGN IS REALLY WHAT LED ME TO WANT TO GO INTO SERVICE. MY FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE CAME FROM MY GRANDMOTHER. YOU KNOW, MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING, BUT EVERYBODY CAN DO SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, YOU GO AND YOU VOLUNTEER AND YOU AND YOU SEE A LOT OF CHARITY. BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHARITY AND JUSTICE. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY AT THAT MOMENT WHERE I UNDERSTOOD THAT DIFFERENCE IS WHERE I WANTED TO GO INTO POLITICS. I RECOGNIZED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE WHO WERE SHAPING LAWS AND MAKING POLICY DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS PEOPLE WHO WERE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT BUSSES, HAD NEVER ACTUALLY RIDDEN A BUS, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSING WHO NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT HOUSING. SO IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTOOD WHO I WAS AND WHO I REPRESENTED AND WHAT MY EXPERIENCES WERE. AND THOSE THINGS ARE WHAT MADE ME PERFECT FOR POLITICS, BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, YOU CAN GIVE SOMEONE YOU KNOW, A FISH ALL DAY, BUT POLICY IS CHANGING LAWS AND TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO FISH SO THAT THEY CAN DO FOR THEMSELVES ELECTION NIGHT WAS CRAZY. SO I REMEMBER THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN AS THE VOTES ROLL IN AND THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, THEY'RE KEEPING TALLY. BUT YOU KNOW, THE VOTES ARE COMING IN. SO I REMEMBER AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, IN CINCINNATI, THE TOP NINE OR WHO GOES ON TO THE COUNCIL. AND SO SLOWLY WE STARTED CREEPING UP. AND NEXT THING I KNEW, WE WERE THE HIGHEST NON INCUMBENT FINISHER. THE PROUDEST MOMENT IS OUR SALARY HISTORY ORDINANCE. AS WE WERE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, UH, WAGE AND EQUITY AND THE FACT THAT WOMEN WERE MAKING LESS THAN MEN. BUT MY SECOND PROUDEST IS, UH, CREATING THE GIRLS IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAM. THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I WANTED YOUNG GIRLS TO SEE THEMSELVES IN GOVERNMENT, WHETHER THEY WANTED TO BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR NOT. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ADMINISTERING IN GOVERNMENT, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, CREATING POLICY, ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE POPULATION THAT THEY SERVE IN AGREEING TO AN INTERVIEW VIA ZOOM, TAMAYA DENNARD SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HER AS SHE LOOKS BACK ON HER TIME AT COUNCIL TO PUBLICLY STATE HOW DEEPLY SHE REGRETS LETTING HER SUPPORTERS DOWN. I JUST WANT TO FIRST APOLOGIZE TO THE PEOPLE OF CINCINNATI, THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN ME. I MADE A POOR DECISION LAST WINTER'S INDICTMENT AND ARREST ON FEDERAL CORRUPTION CHARGES OF SELLING HER VOTES ENDED TWO WEEKS AGO WITH A PLEA DEAL AND AN 18 MONTH PRISON SENTENCE. I WOULD SAY THAT IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NEVER AN EXCUSE, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE I DIDN'T GO TO COUNCIL AND I THINK THE PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING ABOUT EVERYTHING I WENT THROUGH IS PEOPLE THINKING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT. I'M NOT DISPUTING THAT. BUT I DIDN'T GO TO COUNCIL TO BE CORRUPT. I ACTUALLY DIDN'T THINK I WAS DOING ANYTHING WRONG ONCE, YOU KNOW, LAYERS GOT PEELED BACK. I CAN UNDERSTAND FULLY AND AGAIN, BEING CLEAR THAT IGNORANCE IS NOT AN EXCUSE. I FULLY UNDERSTAND AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I GOT TO PRISON. UM, I STARTED TUTORING WOMEN IN THE DORMS BECAUSE I GOT I GOT THERE DURING COVID, SO WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T MOVING AROUND IN GENERAL POPULATION. I STARTED TUTORING FOLKS WHILE I WAS IN THERE, JUST WITH YOU KNOW, UM, READING AND TAKING THEIR GED. WORD GOT OUT THAT I WAS A REALLY GOOD TUTOR. SO EDUCATION REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID, HEY, CAN YOU BE A TEACHER HERE IN PRISON? SO I WENT AND I BECAME A TEACHER, AND THERE WERE WOMEN IN THERE WHO DIDN'T HAVE ATTORNEYS. I WAS IN THERE HELPING WOMEN. DO YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD COME TO MY MY CUBE AND THEY SAID, DENARD, DON'T YOU HAVE A DEGREE? AND I SAID, YEAH. THEY SAID, HEY, CAN YOU HELP ME WITH MY CHILD SUPPORT PAPERS? I'M TRYING TO GET A DIVORCE. CAN YOU HELP ME READ THROUGH THESE PAPERS? AND I TOOK PRIDE IN THAT. BUT REALLY, THE WOMEN I MET IN ALDERSON ARE SOME OF THE WOMEN ARE SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING PEOPLE I WILL EVER KNOW. AND I'M GRATEFUL. AND IT'S REALLY WEIRD WAY. AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATING PRISON OR THINKING PRISON IS A GREAT PLACE. BUT IN, IN A REALLY WEIRD WAY, THAT WAS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS IN PRISON. I SERVED 11 MONTHS. SO I WENT IN JUNE FIRST OF 2021 AND CAME HOME ON MAY 4TH, 2022. SO I SERVED 11 MONTHS OF AN 18 MONTH SENTENCE AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A DAY IN A GROCERY STORE WHILE WALKING DOWN THE STREET, AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I GET THE MOST IS, DO YOU MISS BEING IN POLITICS AND I TELL PEOPLE I DON'T MISS POLITICS, BUT WHAT WHAT I DO MISS IS POLICY AND THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO SHAPE POLICY AND AND BEING INCARCERATED ONLY EXTENDED. YOU KNOW, THAT LENS AND MAKE THAT YOU KNOW THAT ADVOCACY, THAT NEED FOR POLICY THAT MUCH STRONGER. I WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR PEOPLE I WILL NEVER STOP BEING A CHAMPION FOR PEOPLE. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A RULE FOLLOWER. I'VE ALWAYS DONE WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS ARRESTED, EVERYBODY WHO'S CONVICTED ONE, THEY'RE NOT BAD HUMAN BEINGS. TWO THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM EVIL. AND THREE, EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES. TAMARA IS HERE WITH ME NOW. WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT HER JOURNEY AFTER PRISON AND HOW SHE IS NOW HELPING OTHER FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE RESTART THEIR LIVES. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. WELCOME BACK. WELCOME BACK. EVERYONE. HERE WITH ME NOW IS TAMAYA DENNARD. AND FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. THIS IS A TOUGH DISCUSSION. UM, I THINK PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW HOW THINGS ARE GOING. FIRST OF ALL, FOR YOU IN THIS JOURNEY BACK. AND IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT THIS JOURNEY BACK. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KNOW MY JOURNEY BACK HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I'VE RECENTERED MYSELF AND SERVICE IS NEVER, YOU KNOW, LEFT ME. IT'S WHO I AM. IT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE. BUT HOW I SERVE IS JUST, YOU KNOW, CHANGED A LITTLE BIT. AND SO I'M WORKING SPECIFICALLY WITH JUSTICE IMPACTED PEOPLE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK THAT I'VE EVER DONE. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE MADE A MISTAKE OR HELP HELP THOSE WHO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOST THEIR WAY FOR A MOMENT, YOU KNOW, RECENTER THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY CAN REENTER SOCIETY IN A WAY THAT IS BOTH HUMANIZING AND SERVES THEM. WHAT IS THE QUESTION THAT PEOPLE ASK YOU THE MOST THROUGH ALL OF THIS? IS THERE A QUESTION THAT PEOPLE HAVE ASKED? I GET STOPPED A LOT AND I GET ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS. PROBABLY THE QUESTION I'M ASKED THE MOST IS PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED WITH HOW AM I DOING? UM, THEY ASK, YOU KNOW, WILL I EVER RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN? THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE THE TWO THAT I'M ASKED THE MOST. AND, UM, I'M DOING AN AMAZING I FEEL REALLY GOOD AND KNOW I'LL NEVER RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN. DO THEY ASK WHY? WHY ALL OF THIS TRANSPIRED TO BEGIN WITH? NO. AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT PEOPLE ARE THEY DON'T. THEY'RE NOT INQUISITIVE AS TO LIKE HOW I GOT THERE. I'M MOST I'M GRATEFUL BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW I AM NOW. AND THAT'S REALLY HOW WE SHOULD BE ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE RETURNING HOME. IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE OR WHAT THEY WERE CONVICTED OF. IT'S ABOUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. SO IT'S ALMOST IT'S SYMBOLIC THAT PEOPLE ASK ME THAT BECAUSE THAT'S GENUINELY WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ASKING SOMEONE WHO'S COMING HOME. WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW, BECAUSE IN A SOCIETY THAT'S VERY JUDGMENTAL, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT HAS NOT BEEN WHAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED. YOU'VE EXPERIENCED MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO HELP, WANTING TO LISTEN INSTEAD OF JUDGING. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE. AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, ABOVE, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT MY MY PRIVILEGE, WHAT I DO TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE THINGS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS I ASK PEOPLE SOMETIMES WHEN I SPEAK TO CLOSE THEIR EYES AND THINK ABOUT THE WORST THING THEY'VE EVER DONE AND THINK ABOUT THAT THING THAT THE WORST THING THEY'VE EVER DONE, BEING ON DISPLAY FOR EVERYONE TO SEE. AND THEN IMAGINE THAT WORST THING BEING ON DISPLAY FOR EVERYONE TO SEE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND SO THAT'S HOW I TRY TO CREATE SOME PROXIMITY TO WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE FORMALLY INCARCERATED. I WOULD IMAGINE WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW. NOW, UM, IN, IN HELPING OTHERS HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED BY YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, WHAT I TRY TO TALK WITH PARTICIPANTS ABOUT IN OUR PROGRAM IS MUTUALITY. MY EXPERIENCE IS NOT YOUR EXPERIENCE, BUT WE'RE KIND OF WE'RE BOUND TOGETHER. WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. SO I WANT THEM TO BE AS GOOD OF A HUMAN BEING AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN. AND NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEMSELVES GRACE AND DON'T DON'T KICK YOURSELF. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THIS THIS THING HAPPENED, BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? AND SO WHAT I TRY TO INSTILL AND TALK WITH THEM ABOUT IS YOU KNOW, UM, BE SOMETIMES YOU'RE YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW, TAKES A DIFFERENT PLACE AND LIFE IS NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OR SUCCESS ISN'T ABOUT THIS PLACE. IT'S ABOUT THE JOURNEY. AND WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? AND I REALLY TRY TO USE MY OWN EXPERIENCE TO MODEL FOR THEM THAT YOU MADE THIS MISTAKE. AND AND I DO RECOGNIZE WE DON'T WE'RE NOT WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE. BUT I HAVE A CONVICTION ON MY RECORD. I HAVE A FELONY ON MY RECORD THAT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO BE EXPUNGED. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT THAT FELONY IS GOING TO HOLD ME BACK FROM. AND THERE'S JOBS THAT I PROBABLY COULDN'T GET BECAUSE OF MY FELONY. SO THERE ARE SOME, UM, LIKENESSES IN OUR EXPERIENCE, SOME SIMILARITIES IN OUR EXPERIENCE. BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS KIND OF RISE ABOVE THAT. AND DON'T LET YOURSELF BE DEFINED BY OTHER PEOPLE, AND DON'T LET OTHER PEOPLE ASSIGN YOUR VALUE. UM, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK AND THEN COME BACK. WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE THE REENTRY PROGRAM, IF YOU WILL, THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK WITH ONE OF YOUR COWORKERS WHO CAN SHARE SOME OF HIS EXPERIENCES AS WELL. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. I'M BACK HERE NOW WITH TAMAYA DENNARD AND ALSO WITH BRANT BEDGOOD WOOD, WHO IS A RECRUITER AND AN INSTRUCTOR IN THIS REENTRY PROGRAM. AND FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, BRANT. YES. SO I WENT THROUGH AN EXPERIENCE WHERE I GOT, UH, YOU KNOW, JUSTICE IMPACTED, UH, 2001. UM, AND WITH MY EXPERIENCE, WHAT I LEARNED, WHAT I KNOW NOW WOULD BE DIFFERENT. UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE PROGRAMS NOW THAN THERE WERE, UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, HAVE BEEN THROUGH WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH WHO ARE PART OF THOSE PROGRAMS, WHO UNDERSTAND THE WALK. AND TYPICALLY THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS UNDERSTAND THE WALK, WHERE TO GET INFORMATION. WHEN YOU GET OUT, HOW TO DO THINGS, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES. AND I TRY TO HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION NOW BECAUSE MEIGS, IF I GO TO YOU AND I SAY I NEED SOME SERVICES AND, AND YOU SAY, WELL, WHO SENT YOU HERE? OR WE DON'T DO THOSE SERVICES, BUT WE DO THIS, YOU MAY BE MY ONLY HOPE YOU MAY BE MY LAST RESORT. SO, SO GOING THROUGH THE GOING THROUGH WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH BEING PART OF SENATE BILL 337 AND 2012, WHEN IT PASSED AND I GOT MY SECOND, MY SECOND CHANCE IN LIFE, MY SECOND WIN, UM, I WAS GIVEN A GOVERNOR'S PARDON BY GOVERNOR KASICH. AND WITH THAT, I TOOK THAT ON MY SHOULDERS AND SINCE I WAS HELPED THE WAY I WAS HELPED, UM, I CHOOSE TO DO THE SAME TYPE OF THING, SAME TYPE OF HELP FOR THOSE WHO ARE COMING HOME FROM INCARCERATION, EXPLAIN SENATE BILL FROM 2012. SO SENATE BILL 337 WAS A BILL WHERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE EXPUNGED NOBLE, I MEAN, WERE NOT EXPUNGED, ABLE THEY BECAME EXPUNGED. NOBLE IN 2012, THE CHARGE THAT I HAD THAT I WAS GIVEN, UM, WAS NOT EXPUNGED UNTIL THAT LAW CHANGED. AND ONCE THAT LAW CHANGED, IT GAVE ME THE FREEDOM TO KIND OF TAKE BACK MY LIFE AND APPLY FOR THOSE JOBS THAT WOULD NOT HIRE ME. PREVIOUS TO THAT, UH, FOR ME, IT WAS FOR ME. YOU DIDN'T SERVE, YOU DIDN'T SERVE. I DIDN'T I DIDN'T SERVE ANY TIME AT ALL. I DID. I WAS ON A FIVE YEARS PROBATION, UM, WHICH I WAS LET OFF IN LIKE A YEAR ONLY BECAUSE MY CRIME WAS NOT A VIOLENT CRIME, WAS NOT. IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT INTERRUPTED ANYBODY ELSE'S LIVES. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I DONE. UM, BUT BUT WITH THAT, I CALL IT THE SECOND CHANCE BILL, BECAUSE IT WAS ALMOST 2 MILLION OHIOANS TO GET A SECOND CHANCE AT GETTING THOSE RECORDS SEALED, EXPUNGED. UM, AND I JUST TOOK THAT, AND I RAN WITH IT, AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO RUN WITH IT. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO CHANGE LAWS. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT AND WHAT IT DOES. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE CAME OUT OF SENATE BILL 337 WAS MORE COLLABORATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY OF UNDERSTANDING THAT BILL AND HOW IT AFFECTS PEOPLE. UM, BECAUSE WHEN YOU WELCOME SOMEONE HOME, YOU REALLY WANT TO WELCOME THEM HOME, BUT ALSO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEY'VE BEEN INCARCERATED, HE MENTIONED THE WORD FREEDOM, AND I WOULD IMAGINE WHEN PEOPLE COME TO TO SEE YOU, PART OF THAT IS THEY'RE YEAH, THEY'RE SEEKING JOBS. THEY'RE SEEKING, YOU KNOW, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THEY'RE REALLY SEEKING JUST SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO THEM WHO WILL UNDERSTAND THEIR JOURNEY. AND IN ESSENCE, MAYBE TRY TO GET A LITTLE FREEDOM. UM, ABSOLUTELY. FROM WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CHARGED WITH HELPING PEOPLE FIND EMPLOYMENT, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO IS NOT EMPLOYMENT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO IS CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE THAT'S HUMANIZING, THAT'S HUMAN CENTERED. AFTER YOU'VE BEEN INCARCERATED, UM, INCARCERATION IN IS A VERY DEHUMANIZING EXPERIENCE FROM, YOU KNOW, BEING CALLED A CONVICT, AN EX-CON, A FELON, A DEFENDANT, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY THAT BECOMES, UM, SECOND TO YOUR NAME OR IT'S WITH YOUR NAME. SO, YOU KNOW, FROM FROM HOW YOU WANT WHAT YOU WANT TO BE CALLED, YOU WANT TO BE CALLED BY YOUR GOVERNMENT NAME. IS THERE A NICKNAME YOU WANT TO BE CALLED? THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, AND IT'S INTENTIONAL. SO IT REALLY SETS THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE STAGE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU'RE COMING INTO. THE LAST THING WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR PROGRAM IS AN EXTENSION OF INCARCERATION. SO, YOU KNOW, WARMTH. WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE YOU. IT'S A SAFE SPACE. AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PHYSICAL SAFE, ALTHOUGH THAT'S IMPORTANT. SAFE AS IN I'M NOT ASKING YOU WHAT YOUR CONVICTION IS. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR CONVICTION IS. I WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE NOW AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. AND WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT. WE WE GO OUT AND WE ARE THE BUFFER BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND PARTICIPANTS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE GOING OUT TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING REJECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR BACKGROUND. WE'RE SPECIFICALLY SEEKING OUT, UM, EMPLOYERS WHO ARE FAIR CHANCE FRIENDLY OR SECOND CHANCE FRIENDLY SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET AS BEST WE CAN, UH, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO START THEIR LIVES OVER AGAIN. AND I EVEN I DON'T LIKE TO USE THE TERMS SECOND CHANCE ALL THE TIME JUST BECAUSE FOR SOME OF OUR FOLKS, THEY'VE NEVER HAD A FIRST CHANCE. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, WE WANT THEM TO HAVE BECAUSE THEY DON'T NORMALLY GET A CHANCE OR MAYBE NOT HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER TO LISTEN. AND WE ALL KIND OF WE ALL KIND OF YEARN TO HAVE THAT FAMILY, THAT UNITY. UM, AND IT IS JUST AN EAR SOMETIMES. DON'T ANSWER. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T NEED AN ANSWER. THEY JUST NEED TO SAY WHATEVER IS GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES. YOU CAN GIVE THEM A HAND, SHAKE A HUG. HEY, I'M GLAD YOU SPOKE WITH ME ABOUT IT. HEY, LET'S WORK ON SOME THINGS. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE VERY, VERY HELPFUL IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN, AND IT JUST HELPS PEOPLE COME IN AND WE'RE HAPPY. WE LOVE TO SEE A SMILE ON THEIR FACE WHEN THEY COME IN. THAT'S THE MOST JOY THAT I HAVE OUT OF IS WATCHING THEM COME BACK AFTER WE'VE GOT THEM PLACED IN A JOB OR OR THEY PLACE THEMSELVES IN A JOB JUST WATCHING THEM COME BACK TO US AND THEY'RE THANKING EVERYBODY. AND NO, IT'S NOT THANKING US. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN BEING PART OF IT AND TAKING THIS ON ANOTHER PART IN YOUR CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE. IT'S NARRATIVE CHANGING. IT'S GOING IN AND ENSURING YOU KNOW IT. COMPANIES THAT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HIRE SOMEONE WHO'S JUST AS IMPACTED AND IT DOESN'T IMPACT YOUR SAFETY. SO FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, THEY SEE IT AS A RISK EMPLOYING PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST INVOLVED. BUT I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, UM, AND IT'S NOT ME PULLING AT SOMEONE'S HEARTSTRINGS. THIS IS DATA THAT PROVES THAT IF YOU GIVE SOMEONE A CHANCE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE APT TO STAY THERE BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT CHANCE. THEY'RE GOING TO WORK HARDER. SO, YOU KNOW, INHERENTLY, WE THINK WE'RE TAKING A RISK. WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE UNSAFE BECAUSE MAYBE WE WATCH TOO MUCH TV OR WE THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SEE AS A REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED IS, IS IS FACT, BUT IT'S NOT. SO AS MUCH AS OUR WORK IS PLACING FOLKS, IT'S ALSO TALKING WITH EMPLOYERS, GIVING THEM DATA THAT SHOWS THAT HIRING SOMEONE IS GOOD AND IT'S YOU CAN DO WELL AND DO GOOD AT THE SAME TIME. AND, AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE IS GOING TO BE STRONGER BECAUSE YOU GAVE THIS PERSON A CHANCE. WE APPRECIATE YOU TELLING YOUR STORY AND TELLING YOUR STORY. UH, IT WILL IT WILL CHANGE SOMEONE'S LIFE. YES. WHO'S WATCHING RIGHT NOW? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. AND FINALLY, GIVING WOMEN AND FINALLY, GIVING WOMEN TRAPPED IN THE WORLD OF HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE. THAT THAT IS THE FOCUS OF A SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY PRODUCED BY WLWT AND OUR STREAMING SERVICE. VERY LOCAL. THE FILM IS CALLED BREAKING CHAINS SURVIVING SEX TRAFFICKING AND THE POWER OF SECOND CHANCES. THIS YEAR LONG PROJECT PREMIERED AT THE FREEDOM CENTER. CHRIS JACOBS SPOKE WITH THE CREATORS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY CLOSE TO THIS ISSUE. CINCINNATI IS A HUB FOR SEX TRAFFICKING BECAUSE WE'RE ON I-75, THE MAJOR NORTH SOUTH ARTERY IN OUR COUNTRY. A NEW DOCUMENTARY CALLED BREAKING CHAINS, HIGHLIGHTING THE EPIDEMIC OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE REASON THAT THESE KINDS OF THINGS LIKE YOUR DOCUMENTARY ARE SO IMPORTANT IS THAT IT BRINGS IT TO LIGHT. THROUGH MY REPORTING, I MET SOME WOMEN WHO WERE WILLING TO SHARE THEIR STORIES. CREATORS AND CONTRIBUTORS RECENTLY ATTENDED THE PREMIERE AT THE FREEDOM CENTER, A PLACE OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVE YOST SAYS IS FITTING THEY DON'T USE CHAINS OF IRON. THEY USE DRUGS TO ENSLAVE PEOPLE. NOW, IF YOU HAVE AN OPIATE ADDICTION, THEN YOU'LL DO ANYTHING THING TO AVOID ADDICTION, SICKNESS, AND THOSE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE ON THE FRONT LINES ALSO ATTENDED. IT'S JUST WONDERFUL. A WONDERFUL WAY TO SHINE THE LIGHT ON VERY DESERVING PEOPLE. JUDGE HEATHER RUSSELL RUNS CHANGE COURT AND IS A FOCAL POINT OF THE DOCUMENTARY. SHE'S REALLY FOCUSED AND I JUST IT'S LIKE SHE'S MY OWN KID. I COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF HER. HER COURT HELPING MULTIPLE TRAFFICKING VICTIMS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. TALK TO US ABOUT WHY YOU'VE MADE THIS A PRIORITY. THE PREMIERE WAS THE FIRST STEP IN BRINGING THESE STORIES OUT OF THE SHADOWS. AFTER THE PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENTARY, HOST SHEREE PAOLELLO ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVE YOST, AND CREATOR MEREDITH STUTZ DISCUSSING THIS SENSITIVE TOPIC. IT'S A CULMINATION OF A LOT OF BOTH TRIUMPH OF SURVIVORS CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ENTITIES COMING TOGETHER AND ALSO A TREMENDOUS LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US. IN THE FORMER WLWT REPORTER STARTED THIS PROJECT IN 2022, BUT SAYS THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. YOU DON'T NEED A PASSPORT TO GO TO FIND SEX TRAFFICKING. IT IS HERE, HAPPENING IN OUR ZIP CODES IN OUR COUNTIES. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S HAPPENING TO REAL PEOPLE, TO OUR NEIGHBORS, AND WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WELL, WE INVITE YOU TO WATCH THE FILM, THE BREAKING CHAINS DOCUMENTARY. NOW STREAMING ON OUR VERY LOCAL APP. IT IS FREE TO DOWNLOAD ON AMAZON FIRE, ROKU OR WHEREVER YOU STREAM. WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THE PROGRAM TODAY. THANKS FOR WATCHING. I'M CURTIS FULLER, I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF LET'S TALK CINCY.