WorkingNation

🚨 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are justice-impacted. That’s over 70 million Americans today—projected to reach 100 million by 2030. These are our neighbors, our family members, and our future workforce. We cannot afford to overlook this talent pool if we want a thriving economy. Breaking Barriers: Justice and Work brings together powerful voices from REFORM Alliance, Mission: Launch, Inc. Goodwill Industries International, Philadelphia Works, Inc. and The Last Mile to reframe how we think about employment, opportunity, and fairness. This roundtable is filled with powerful stories, policy insights, and actionable ideas. It will challenge assumptions—and outline solutions for real change. Watch it now: https://lnkd.in/gEA-CTGS

WorkingNation's newest Breaking Barriers special is now live on our website! We're examining the barriers keeping millions of Americans who are justice-impacted from fully accessing the workforce in search of economic stability. Learn more in this edition of the WorkingKnowledge newsletter, along with other stories about creating opportunities for family-sustaining careers around the country. Ares Management Corporation Charitable Foundation 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia Goodwill Industries International REFORM Alliance Mission: Launch, Inc. Philadelphia Works, Inc. Steven C. Preston Teresa Y Hodge Jay Jordan Michelle Armstrong Arthur Bilger Melissa Panzer Joan Lynch Michael S. James Laura Aka Jane Oates Lonia Guha Lumina Foundation Jamie Merisotis City of Birmingham Dr. Angela Jackson Jamai Wallis Blivin #justiceimpacted #workforcedevelopment #education #digitaldivide

Proud to see WorkingNation spotlight Birmingham in its latest feature — and even prouder to call this city home. Birmingham has long been a place of resilience, innovation, and community strength. This piece captures the energy and commitment of local leaders working across sectors to build stronger economy — from advanced manufacturing to biotech, workforce development to innovation within our schools and universities. Big thanks to Laura Aka and the WorkingNation team for taking the time to tell this story with depth and heart. Glad to see so many of the people and organizations I admire featured here, among them J. W. Carpenter, Sanjay Singh, Ph.D., Samantha Williams, and Carlos Enrique Alemán, Ph.D. #Birmingham #economicdevelopment #WorkforceDevelopment

For justice-impacted Americans, getting hired isn’t simple. Join justice reform leaders, workforce experts, and advocates in Breaking Barriers: Justice Impacted Americans as we explore real solutions to create a more inclusive workforce. 🗓 Airs 7pm ET Saturday, April 5 | 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia 🌐 Watch after the broadcast at workingnation.org  #BreakingBarriers REFORM Alliance Jay Jordan Goodwill Industries International Steven C. Preston Mission: Launch, Inc. Teresa Y Hodge Philadelphia Works, Inc. Patricia Blumenauer PBS Hari Sreenivasan

For millions of justice-impacted Americans, reentering the workforce comes with barriers that feel impossible to overcome—bias in hiring, outdated background checks, limited access to training, and a system that wasn’t built to support second chances. In our newest episode of Breaking Barriers, we’re bringing that conversation to the forefront—with justice reform leaders, workforce experts, and advocates who are working to change the system from the inside out. 🗓 Airs 7pm ET Saturday, April 5 | 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia 🌐 Available after the broadcast at workingnation.org  #BreakingBarriers REFORM Alliance Jay Jordan Goodwill Industries International Steven C. Preston Mission: Launch, Inc. Teresa Y Hodge Philadelphia Works, Inc. Patricia Blumenauer PBS Hari Sreenivasan

🎥 Breaking Barriers is back — and this time, we’re heading to Philadelphia. On April 5, our Emmy-winning Breaking Barriers returns with a new roundtable conversation about justice & work. This powerful episode explores the challenges justice-impacted individuals face when reentering the workforce—and the real solutions that are helping to break the cycle. 🗓 Airs 7pm ET Saturday, April 5 | 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia 🌐 Available after broadcast at workingnation.org  #BreakingBarriers Thanks to Ares Management Corporation Charitable Foundation for their support of this series. Goodwill Industries International REFORM Alliance Mission: Launch, Inc. Philadelphia Works, Inc. Jay Jordan Steven C. Preston Teresa Y Hodge Patricia Blumenauer Hari Sreenivasan PBS Michelle Armstrong Arthur Bilger Joan Lynch Melissa Panzer Jane Oates Ramona Schindelheim

So much good stuff in here, but this may be my favorite quote: “I’m going to continue to be bullish on Birmingham, and I believe that what we’ve got to get beyond is the perpetual promise, and when we start looking outward, I think that’s when we come the best version of ourselves.” - Mayor Woodfin Proud to stand with him and so many friends as we make Birmingham the most thriving and inclusive economy in the Southeast. Thanks to WorkingNation and Laura Aka for capturing or city so beautifully. Cornell Wesley Carlos Enrique Alemán, Ph.D. Samantha Williams Sanjay Singh, Ph.D. Prosper City of Birmingham Mayor's Office ¡HICA! Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama Birmingham Promise Whiteboard Advisors Carlos Ignacio Zavala

Every year, millions of Americans return to their communities after incarceration—only to find that the door to opportunity is still closed. We’re tackling this issue head-on in the latest episode of Breaking Barriers. This roundtable conversation brings together leaders from REFORM Alliance Goodwill Industries International, Mission: Launch, Inc., and Philadelphia Works, Inc. to explore what real second-chance hiring looks like. 📆 Airing 7pm ET April 5 on 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia 💬 We want to hear from YOU: What issues would you like to see us explore in this conversation?  #BreakingBarriers

More Americans than ever are earning college degrees or workforce credentials—up from 38 percent in 2008 to 55 percent today. But as job demands change, we've launched a new goal: By 2040, 75 percent of adults in the U.S. labor force will have college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity. That means credentials that lead to good jobs, family-sustaining wages, and room to grow. It’s about opportunity, stability, and the chance to thrive. Lumina President and CEO Jamie Merisotis spoke to WorkingNation Editor-in-Chief Ramona Schindelheim on the latest Work in Progress: A WorkingNation Podcast episode about why this matters now more than ever—and what still stands in the way. Listen now:

Millions of adults across the U.S. are being left behind—not because they lack drive, but because they lack access. From digital literacy to career-connected learning, adult education programs are quietly transforming lives and building stronger communities. But they’re still underfunded and overlooked. 🎧 Ramona Schindelheim sat down with Sharon Bonney and Jacqueline "Jackie" Aguilera to spotlight the power of adult ed Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) | Mayor's Office for Adult Literacy