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History
Living & Driving While Black Foundation, Inc. was incorporated on August 10, 2005. It is a not-for-profit organization within the State of Illinois for charitable purposes of enhancing the quality of life of individuals.
A driving objective of Living & Driving While Black Foundation, Inc. is to inform residents of African-American communities, particularly men and boys, of the fundamental knowledge about racial profiling, when, how, and by whom it can occur, and that discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality sexual preference or any other particular identity undermines the basic human rights and freedoms to which every person is entitled - the Foundation maintains a strong commitment to addressing these issues.
When issues of racial profiling, discrimination, and harassment are known to the Foundation, there are established policies and procedures that are used to promptly bring thorough and effective actions in an effort to identify the situations and bring about an internal remedy as much as possible. The Foundation is aware that individuals also have the right to contact any proper agency, such as the Illinois Department of Human Rights or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), County Sheriff Departments, State Police, or Federal Bureau of Investigation for assistance.
Mission
The mission is simple and focuses on restorative justice, healing, and human rights. Fostering, mentoring, and role-modeling behaviors to African-American men and boys help spring-broad the mission throughout the communities served by the Foundation. Focusing on positive influences helps change mindsets as well as promote integrity and pride in men and boys. The Foundation strives to utilize structured criteria with the lawful intent to eliminate adversity.
A program entitled "New Black Man" is introduced by the 'Foundation' to influence positive changes in the image of African-American men and promote pride and integrity through a structured educational environment, relationship building, self-respect, and atonement through faith. Helps the Foundation live the Mission each day.
Purpose
Living & Driving While Black Foundation, Inc. works with governmental agencies, community organizations, membership, and affiliate groups in order to re-establish resources back into the African-American community through empowering people. Our programs are structured to enhance the growth and development of Black males, which in turn can foster empowerment of the families within the community. The Foundation aims to be a leader in prisoner re-entry for Black males in the communities, as well as implement programs that educate against drug use in our society.
Objectives
- To establish and improve the status of minorities by eliminating racial prejudice.
- To promote educational, social, and economic development within the African-American communities.
- To reduce recidivism by supporting the efforts of African Americans with criminal records to become employed and law-abiding members of their community. Living & Driving While Black Foundation, Inc. has a platform that provides a full set of basic needs – employment, education, and career training that lead to certification and employment with a future.
Our platform shall consist of:
- Orientation, intake, and retention.
- Job Readiness – Resumes, guidance, counseling, and interviewing strategies.
- Supportive Services – Assisting with employment in transportation, warehousing, hospitality, construction, landscaping, and manufacturing, among a few industries.
- Market Cultivation – training in sales, marketing, and recruitment.
- Criminal record Expungement for qualified individuals and an innocence program.
Recognition of the African-American Male - Deportment and Employee Competence
Living & Driving While Black Foundation, Inc. provides a cause of action against employers who stereotype disadvantaged African-American men, especially those who are ex-offenders, disproportionately skilled or semi-skilled workers. Since at-will employment in various states rarely requires well-defined qualifications, it is inevitable that employers have more opportunities to discriminate in their hiring and promotion decisions (Harvard Law Review, 1991).
The Foundation is aware that hiring Black men, especially ex-offenders, are disproportionate to other races and has a major negative impact on their culture and communities. In notes concerning Black men by the Harvard Law Review (1991), entitled, "Invisible Man: Black and Male, Under Title VII," educational disadvantage is an inadequate explanation for occupational distributions and the corresponding unemployment, as indicated in the rise of unemployment.
The article states, "According to a government study, black men who are eligible only for positions not requiring a high school diploma had significantly higher unemployment than white men with similar profiles. In addition, Black men who have attended college also have a higher level of unemployment – and earn less – than white high school dropouts." Harvard Law Review (1991).
About the Programs
Living & Driving While Black Foundation, Inc. aims to gear programs toward African-American males. Due to the statistical distribution of released prisoners who are more economically and socially disadvantaged than the average In Chicago's communities, our programs will serve this targeted disparate group. The Urban Institute reported that the vast majority (97 percent) of Illinois prisoners released in 2001 returned to Illinois communities; of those, 51 percent returned to Chicago (15,488 released prisoners). Just six (6) of Chicago's 77 communities, Humboldt Park, North Lawndale, Englewood, West Englewood, and East Garfield Park-accounted for 34 percent of prisoners returning to Chicago in 2001.
In addition, the Safer Foundation (2002) reported, "Far fewer women than men are sentenced to prison, but their rates of incarceration are increasing faster than those of men, and they are reentering communities with unique needs and challenges related to children and family issues, employment, and substance abuse. While men greatly outnumber women in state or federal prisons, since 1990, the annual rate of growth of female inmates has averaged 7.5%, higher than the 5.7% average increase of male inmates. While the number of male prisoners has grown by 80% since 1990, the number of female prisoners has increased by 114%. By midyear 2001, there were almost 95,000 women in state or federal prisons.
Proven practices and research related to ex-offender re-entry are cornerstones to the development of many of the programs implemented by the Foundation. Moreover, programs are geared to encourage and mentor toward success and growth principles that are sustainable by the individuals over time. Programs to address the healing of families, securing housing, preparation and securing employment, counseling for substance abuse and implementing treatments, and understanding and eliminating domestic violence are aimed toward improving the role of disadvantaged Black males in their community.
Implementation Plan and Activities
Living & Driving While Black Foundation, Inc. is a national organization with a corporate hub within Illinois and services focused on the Chicago-land areas. The Foundation concentrates efforts on Black males aged 11–21 years, with or without criminal backgrounds, and in primarily low-income communities throughout the various counties. Programs and services are focused in Cook County due to the approximately 65% African-American, 25% Caucasian, and 10% Hispanic/Latino populations.
The The foundation's civil engagement programs promote productive citizenship, which is free from discrimination, rules of engagement with law enforcement, and understanding of civil rights, protection, and the power of the voting process. The Foundation understands that in order to be successful in reaching its objectives, awareness of issues of the African-American culture must be addressed before healing and respect can be achieved.
Project Evaluation
Program success is measured by various methods, including but not limited to:
- Setting measurable, action-driven goals with the individual throughout the program
- Developing and recording statistical data such as program attendance and program completion to determine overall program acceptance.
- Eliciting feedback and program evaluations from various partnering agencies and individual participating professionals
- Relationship building among the participants though the introduction of the "New Black Male" project.
- Seeking, recording, and monitoring input from individuals, partners, and other interested parties about project goals and direction – both positive and constructive feedback is sought.
- Facilitating self-assessment and follow-up evaluation from program participants.
- Fostering parent participation and feedback
- Conduct weekly interactive workshops for family counseling.