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Second Chance Month: A Movement for Change

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April Is Second Chance Month

Did you know that 1 in 3 American adults has a criminal record, limiting access to education, jobs, housing, and other opportunities? [National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)] Nearly half of all children in the U.S. have at least one parent with a record. (Center for American Progress) Job applicants with a record are 50% less likely to receive a callback, leaving millions facing joblessness or poverty. [Devah Pager (landmark field experiment)] Additionally, women represent a growing portion of the justice-impacted population, many of whom are mothers and have experienced trauma prior to incarceration.

Men, women, and gender non-conforming people with criminal histories continue to face barriers long after they have paid their debt to society.

April marks Second Chance Month, a nationwide campaign that raises awareness about barriers experienced by individuals returning to communities after incarceration. It also focuses on ways to reduce recidivism through unlocking opportunities for returning citizens.

“I’m becoming the man my family always hoped I’d become.”
 – Jose Catalan, Community Organizer, All of Us or None-LA/LB

Transformations recognized through Second Chance Month are celebrated through stories like Jose Catalan’s journey from incarceration. Now a community organizer with A New Way of Life Reentry Project (ANWOL) and a member of All of Us or None – Los Angeles/Long Beach (AOUON-LA/LB), Jose brings purpose to his work rooted in lived experience. After serving 23 years of a life sentence, he shares that the idea of a second chance is not just symbolic, “it’s something I’m living every day.”

Reentering society after more than two decades came with profound challenges for Jose. From learning new technology to navigating a completely changed world, he describes the transition as overwhelming and deeply personal. He has also faced internal pressure “to succeed, to not make mistakes,” while rebuilding his life and managing the fear of letting others down. Still, he moves forward with determination, grounded in the belief that “I cannot guarantee that everything will work out, but I believe that it can.”

Jose challenges common misconceptions about life after incarceration, emphasizing that release is not freedom, but “when the real work begins.” Jose believes that reentry means rebuilding from the ground up while facing systemic barriers and redefining purpose and identity. His story is proof that transformation is possible. With the right support, opportunities, and belief, people can not only rebuild their lives but also give back to their communities in powerful ways.

For Jose, this chapter is about turning reflection into action, becoming “the man my family always hoped I’d become,” and honoring those still incarcerated by carrying their stories with him.

At ANWOL, we embody Second Chance Month by advancing community action through policy and advocacy. Our goal is to break barriers and provide opportunities to those who have paid their debt to society. April is more than a moment; it is a movement.

Through Second Chance Month, we bring attention to the challenges faced by justice-involved individuals, especially the social and structural barriers that limit access to housing, employment, education, and community support. These obstacles often make successful reentry difficult. Policy and advocacy are central to this mission, as efforts focused on legislation and programs help expand access to resources, restore rights, and reduce discrimination. Community action also plays a vital role in creating second chances. By recognizing the dignity and value of formerly incarcerated people, we can uplift the voices of those with lived experience.

All of Us or None: Advocacy in Action

This Second Chance Month, we’re highlighting AOUON-LA/LB, a grassroots network of individuals with past convictions who join together in advocacy to end discrimination against people with felony convictions and their families, both during incarceration and after release.

Fiscally sponsored by ANWOL, we are working to restore civil rights lost as a result of convictions and/or incarceration. Our work focuses on dismantling systemic discrimination and reducing the reentry barriers that justice-involved individuals experience.

“A second chance isn’t just a ‘do over’… it is the opportunity to apply a decade of reflection and learning to a blank canvas.”
– Jared James, AOUON-LA/LB Organizing Fellow

Like Jose Catalan, Jared James embodies the spirit of Second Chance Month: growth, accountability, and the courage to build anew. As a community organizing fellow with AOUON-LA/LB and a college junior studying business administration with a focus on entrepreneurship, Jared brings both lived experience and a forward-thinking vision to advocacy work.

He shares that “a second chance isn’t just a ‘do over’… it is the opportunity to apply a decade of reflection and learning to a blank canvas.” Since his parole in July, he has embraced each day as “a gift” and an opportunity to shape a better future.

Like many navigating reentry, Jared has faced the challenge of adjusting to the fast pace and demands of daily life. Focusing on school, work, and relationships, he describes this as “a constant balancing act” that requires intention and resilience. He challenges misconceptions about life after incarceration, emphasizing that “release is actually where the real work begins.” For Jared, success is rooted in “daily discipline and the perseverance to keep moving forward,” even when facing systemic barriers. His story is a reminder that second chances are built one day at a time.

Policy in Action

AOUON-LA/LB is currently co-sponsoring two bills: AB 2095 and AB 1646.

AB 2095, introduced by Assembly Member Alex Lee on February 18, 2026, aims to strengthen California’s “Ban the Box” laws to further protect job applicants with a criminal record. Removing the “Consent” Loophole. Currently, employers cannot ask about your criminal history on an initial application. However, some employers get around this by asking for consent to run a background check early in the process.

AB 1646 (Bryan) this bill focuses on visitation rights within juvenile facilities. It proposes to add a new section (Section 224.75) to the Welfare and Institutions Code to establish clearer or expanded rules regarding how and when juveniles in custody can meet with visitors.

Primary Goal: To regulate or protect the ability of youth in juvenile facilities to maintain connections with family or support systems through visitation.

ANWOL Policy and Advocacy Manager Michelle Chambers notes: “It’s important that we pass policies to give people a second chance to unify with their families, gain employment opportunities, and assure those who are incarcerated that they have our support and a shot at a second chance.”

To learn more and get involved, please email AOUON@anewwayoflife.org

BILLS IN SUPPORT OF
ANWOL & AOUON INCLUDE:

  • California Assembly Bill 464
  • California Assembly Bill 1922
  • California Senate Bill 891
  • California Assembly Bill 1969
  • California Assembly Bill 2119
  • California Assembly Bill 1645
  • AB-1595
  • AB 2483
  • SB-1105
  • AB-2217
  • AB-1737
  • AB-2593
  • AB-1646
  • SB-1399
  • AB-1647
  • AB-1537
  • AB-1958
  • SB-436
  • AB-2122
  • AB-2499

Celebrating Strength: Women Rebuilding, Thriving, and Leading

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By: Christiane Rios

“You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise.”
— Maya Angelou

March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the resilience, strength, and achievements of women throughout history. It is also a time to recognize the women who are still writing their stories.

This month is not only about the pioneers who shaped history, it is also a time to reflect on and honor the courageous and ambitious women who are pillars in their families and communities. Today, women continue to break barriers in every aspect of their lives. Race, class, and immigration status shape a woman’s lived experience and the paths available to her.

“Herstory means before the world believed in her, she believed in herself…then history followed.”
~Tiffany Cudjoe, Case Manager

Women rebuilding their lives after incarceration are writing new chapters. They are mothers, daughters, leaders, entrepreneurs, and students. Many face systemic inequities that create significant barriers after incarceration, such as employment discrimination, restricted access to housing and education, and social stigma. Yet they continue to persevere, becoming powerful leaders and advocates for change. They build networks of support, pursue education, and work to influence policy.

As we celebrate, we ask staff and residents what this month means to them and what empowers them every day.

“When I think of every achievement, struggle, and turning point in my life, I think of the amazing women who helped me through each moment. Women, especially Black women, have fought and continue to fight to be seen, heard, and valued. We show up for our families and communities, often with little recognition, yet we continue to rise. Women’s History Month is a celebration of the legacy of women everywhere, and that legacy empowers me every day to keep going with patience and love.”
~Pamela Marshall, Co-Director

This month, we reflect on women whose stories may not be widely known but are deeply felt in workplaces and communities. When a woman chooses growth over defeat, she chooses to empower herself. Women’s History Month is not only about the past, it is also about the present and how women are shaping history today, despite the economic barriers and daily inequalities they continue to face.

“This month is an opportunity to learn about our greatest leaders, activists, and pioneers who have worked hard to ensure that women are recognized and that future generations will learn the contributions women throughout the world have made.”
~ Mayra Luna

RECAP: A New Way of Life 2025 Gala

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A New Way of Life

2025 Gala
“In 2025, 98% of the women in our safe homes were not reincarcerated,” executive director Michael Towler said.

By Reese Whitman

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERRIS MYKEL

A blend of administrative leaders, board members, and community members gathered for the Annual Gala of A New Way of Life Reentry Project, all united by the organization’s mission of rehabilitating those formerly incarcerated.

The gala, which was ANWOL’s 27th edition of the event, was held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica. The theme for this year was “Radical Reentry: Global Impact,” with the goal of reducing the stigma around reentry, redefining the process as a journey of personal healing and community transformation.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERRIS MYKEL

A New Way of Life, a nonprofit organization that aims to provide housing and recovery services to formerly incarcerated women, has made strong and noticeable strides throughout the past year. “In 2025, 98% of the women in our safe homes were not reincarcerated,” executive director Michael Towler said. “They were meeting, and exceeding, the benchmarks that define radical reentry.”

 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERRIS MYKEL

The gala was also an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the work that citizens in Los Angeles have done to support rehabilitation for women. Three honorees were given ANWOL’s Changemaker Award, to recognize their work toward the organization’s mission.

The first recipient of this award was Avo Tajerian, the founder of Lucy’s Auto Center, an auto body shop located in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles. Since 1989, Tajerian’s family-owned business has developed into a community cornerstone, providing quality services for Angelinos and their cars.

“A car isn’t just a car,” Tajerian said. “It’s freedom, confidence, and dignity. When someone receives those keys, they can go to work, pick up their kids, and start a new life.”

Lucy’s Auto Center prioritizes customer service, and ensures that people, particularly women, feel comfortable, respected, and can trust in the services they are receiving. “Every time we see one of these women driving, smiling, and building a new future, it reminds us that community is everything.”

The second recipient of the Changemaker Award was Melanie Robledo, a senior program manager with Impact Justice, and a leader in housing injustice and reentry housing innovation. She is driven by her personal experience of cycling through justice and mental health systems.

“I was the woman that people looked past on the sidewalk,” Robledo said. “The one who hadn’t showered in weeks, lacking pants and shoes, tightly gripping multiple plastic bags and talking to herself.”

Robledo first became involved with A New Way of Life through her residency in their SAFE housing program, which drew her closer to the work that the organization does. “I’m committed to the work that they do and supporting it, so I’ve joined their board of directors,” Robledo said. “I want to see A New Way of Life continue to touch the states and the countries all across the globe, for them to continue their global impact, and for them to launch the Susan Burton Healing Center.”

The final honoree of the Changemaker Award was California Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, who currently represents the state’s 55th district in South Los Angeles. Bryan has worked to revitalize marginalized communities through his involvement in the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee of Poverty and Economic Inclusion, and the passing of numerous assembly bills.

“I’ve been thinking about my relationship to A New Way of Life, and it goes back even before Susan [Burton] remembers,” Bryan said. “I was asked by Mayor Garcetti to write the city’s first report on the reentry needs of folks coming home from incarceration, when we got the first $6 million from Prop 47. So, I pulled up at A New Way of Life, and I sat down with the women.”

Aside from honoring and acknowledging the impact of these three individuals, the night’s program included a majorette performance from the Divas and Drummers of Compton, and two musical numbers on piano by Adobe Creative Resident Samora Pinderhughes.

Additionally, guest appearances were made by actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish and KJLH radio host Tammi Mac — the latter was the emcee of the event.

A New Way of Life’s 27th Annual Gala was an environment that put change at the forefront — through honoring those making an impact, the countless opportunities for guests to donate, and changing the narrative behind reentry following incarceration.

 

Food Resources for Those Impacted by the Government Shutdown

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A New Way of Life, along with My Sister My Friend Breast Cancer Support and Howards 4 Hope, have complied a list of food banks to help relieve the pressure for impacted community members who may be struggling to feed themselves or their families due to the government shutdown. Please share the information below with anyone you may know that might need this critical support.

East Los Angeles Area: 

  • Food Net-Centro Maravilla
    4716 East Cesar Chavez Avenue
    Los Angeles, CA. 90022
    Phone: 323-260-2805
    Distribution Times: Monday – Friday – 8:00am to 5:00pm
    Requirements: State ID, Proof of address (current gas or electric bill) *First visit
    only* Large grocery bag
    *Registered individuals are allowed to attend once a month to
    receive food supply of canned and frozen foods. This center
    serves residents in the 90022 & 90023 zip code areas only.

 

FOOD BANK RESOURCES – SERVICE AREA – 6:

  • Food Net – East Rancho Dominguez
    4513 East Compton Boulevard
    Compton, CA. 90221
    Phone: 310-603-7401
    Distribution Times: Last Friday of each month – 8:00am to 10:00am,
    (Until supplies run out) *Arrive early
    Requirements: State ID

 

  • Sheilds for Families-Social Service Agency–Food Bank
    11705 Deputy Yamamoto Place
    Lynwood, CA. 90262
    Phone: 323-242-5000
    Distribution Times: Thursdays 10:00am to 1:00pm, line starts forming at 7am
    Requirements: State ID
    *Registered individuals are allowed to attend weekly to receive an assortment of canned, packaged and fresh food.*

 

  • Paramount Care Foundation
    8303 Alondra Boulevard
    Paramount, CA. 90723
    Phone: 562-272-7647
    Distribution Times: 1st and 3rd Friday of the month – 9:00am-10:30am
    Requirements: State ID, Proof of address (current gas or electric bill) *First visit only*, Award letter showing income *First visit only*, Grocery bag, Sign in

 

FOOD BANK RESOURCES – SERVICE AREA – 8

  • WSFB –Salvation Army
    324 E. Queen Street
    Inglewood, CA. 90301
    Phone: 310-677-3375
    Distribution Times: Monday to Thursday – 1:00pm – 3:00pm
    Tuesday 1-00pm – 3:00pm *Fresh produce
    Requirements: State ID, Proof of address (current gas or electric bill) *First visit
    only*, Award letter showing income *First visit only*
    *First time participants will meet with caseworker and register.
    Registered individuals are allowed to attend once a month to
    receive food supply of canned and packaged goods. Fresh
    produce will be distributed only on Tuesday. All the information
    will be discussed during registration

 

  • Helping In Services, Inc.
    1535 Gundry Avenue
    Long Beach, CA. 90813
    Phone: 562-591-8778
    Distribution Times: 1st and 3rd Friday of Each Month
    Tuesday 1-00pm – 3:00pm *Fresh produce
    Requirements: State ID, Proof of address (current gas or electric bill) *First visit
    only*, Award letter showing income *First visit only*, Two recent rent receipts or copy of lease *First visit only*
    *First time participants will meet with caseworker and register.
    Registered individuals are allowed to attend twice a month to
    receive food supply of canned, packaged, and fresh goods. All the
    information will be discussed during registration

 

  • St Margaret’s Center
    10217 Inglewood Avenue
    Lennox, CA. 90304
    Phone: 310-672-2208
    Distribution Times: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 9:30am – 11:30am & 1:30pm – 3:30pm
    Requirements: State ID, Proof of address (current gas or electric bill) *First visit
    only*, Award letter showing income *First visit only*, Two recent rent receipts or copy of lease *First visit only*
    *First time participants will meet with caseworker and register.
    Registered individuals are allowed to attend twice a month to
    receive food supply of canned, packaged, and fresh goods. All the
    information will be discussed during registration
    * Seniors have an additional food bank- the LA Food Bank
    Truck comes to their center every 3rd Tuesday of each
    month in their parking lot to deliver bags of food.
    *First time participants will meet with caseworker and register. This
    center serves Lennox, Inglewood, Hawthorne, and some parts of
    Los Angeles are within the district. All the information will be
    discussed during registration

 

Remember, you are not alone. Your struggles are not faced in isolation. There are resources to help you. When we come together as a community, we lift each other up and out of hard times. 

 

ANWOL Providing Emergency Relief to LA Fire Survivors

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The January 2025 wildfires devastated Los Angeles, leaving thousands of families displaced, homes destroyed, and entire communities struggling to recover. While disaster affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. The crisis hit hardest for those already facing economic insecurity—low-income families, people impacted by incarceration, and workers in industries now disrupted by the fires.

Starting on March 18th, A New Way of Life began welcoming displaced Altadena families to our distribution center in Montebello, CA. As an LA based nonprofit, we feel a responsibility to help our community, and we know what it’s like to start over from nothing. So we are stepping in to provide immediate relief and long-term support—ensuring that no one is left behind. So far, we have served over 150 individuals on their road to normalcy.

Immediate and Long-Term Relief: A Community Hub for Recovery

  1. Direct cash assistance ($500-$1,000 per household)
  2. Clothing, toiletries, and household essentials

Our Goals:

  1. Support 500-1,000 households with direct assistance
  2. Push for policy changes that ensure fair wages and employment opportunities for marginalized communities, including incarcerated firefighters

Many have lost not just their homes, but also their jobs, financial stability, and access to critical services. These families were already navigating housing insecurity and economic hardship before the fires—now, they are at even greater risk of displacement, unemployment, and deepening poverty.

How You Can Help:
This is not just about relief—it’s about justice. Together, we have a unique opportunity to invest in a recovery model that prioritizes equity and systemic change. The individuals displaced by the fires deserve more than a return to poverty and exclusion, and Angelenos of every socioeconomic status deserve to be able to rebuild their lives with dignity and ample support after this disaster.

  1. Fund our initiative—your support will provide immediate relief and long-term stability.
  2. Advocate with us—help push for fair employment opportunities for everyone impacted, including incarcerated firefighters.

Together, we will build a just recovery for everyone impacted by the LA fires.

Donate Today

Black–Still: Testif-i Living Library

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On July 16, A New Way of Life partnered with the enFOLD Collective to showcase our Testif-i multimedia initiative through the Black–Still installation at the Craft Contemporary museum. Evie, a member of our 2022 Testif-i cohort, shared her powerful reentry story: the challenges she’s faced, the support she’s received, and the resilience she’s practiced while being true to herself on her healing journey.

Testif-i is a storytelling platform that highlights the lived experiences of formerly incarcerated women and their families, whose stories are often left unheard due to the systemic discrimination that they face. The initiative aims to change the narrative about mass incarceration while focusing on women’s experiences in particular. As the Sentencing Project notes, women are the fastest-growing segment of the prison population. In spite of this, stories about men tend to dominate national conversations, so Testif-i seeks to rectify that.

Black–Still attendees watching Evie’s Testif-i video before entering the exhibit.

As a Testif-i participant, Evie expressed her passion for transforming the pain of her past into purpose. She vividly described the inhumane nature of her incarceration, during which she gave birth under degrading conditions. After incarceration, Evie made great strides in her personal and professional life. Evie became a resident at A New Way of Life, and then later accepted a position in our Administrative Department. She dreams of one day opening her own SAFE House, just like Ms. Susan Burton, whose story inspired her when she first read her memoir in prison.

Description of the Craft Contemporary’s enFOLD Collective: Black – Still exhibit.

The Black–Still installation at Craft Contemporary provided a tranquil space for sharing Evie’s story and the struggles that many formerly incarcerated women and their families face. With cool mist providing respite from a hot summer day, and with the walls drowning out the sounds of a bustling Los Angeles city street, the space invited reflection from the attendees.

Inside the Black–Still exhibit.

This exhibit stands out as even more important in the context of a country that often does not offer any support for the 1.9 million women released from prisons and jails each year or their families. Community-based initiatives like Testif-I and Black–Still will continue to serve critical roles of providing marginalized communities with platforms for sharing their stories and changing unjust systems.