6 years of ‘Locked in Solidarity’ sparking conversation in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - ‘Locked in Solidarity’ was started in 2014 by the Christian Community Development Association, and for 6 years, The Beacon and Riverside Church have partnered to host the event.

“And the purpose of this initiative is to bring awareness around the issues of mass incarceration, and all of its devastating impacts on different communities,” said Jeff Walker, the Executive Director at The Beacon.

Walker told 16 News Now that for the past three years, ‘Locked in Solidarity’s’ focus has been on helping individuals to re-enter society after incarceration.

“Our efforts have been with two job fairs that we’ve done so far. Just connecting second chance friendly employers with individuals who’ve come home from prison, because that’s just one of the many barriers that men and women face when they come, is trying to find gainful employment and where they can make a livable wage,” Walker said.

Collateral consequences of criminal conviction, such as struggles with employment, housing, obtaining licensing, and much more, are problems that need to be fixed to make re-entry easier, as Walker says God would want.

“Hebrews 13:3 is one of my favorite verses, and it says to remember those in prison as if we ourselves are also in prison, and so, I think that’s a command from the Bible that tells us that we are supposed to be remembering those who are in prison, and that we should not be satisfied with the conditions of prison and also how people are treated when they come home from prison,” Walker said.

If you would like more information on incarceration in Indiana, or how you can get involved, you can click here.

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