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When Adam walked out of prison on January 8, 2020, he was returning to a world that looked very different from the one he left. He was 49 years old, coming home to Michigan with determination, preparation, and one critical thing many people leaving prison do not have: ability to meet basic needs.

When employers automatically disqualify candidates based on past justice involvement, they are reinforcing systemic barriers to financial stability and economic mobility. These decisions shape who is able to secure meaningful work, support their families, and build a stable future.

Devon learned early that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room, it’s about how you show up for people when no one is watching.

My name is John, and this is a glimpse into my first day out of prison. It began as I got off the prison van and boarded the Bustang bus to Denver. This first step was bittersweet. Even though I was free, I did not feel that way. Wearing DOC-provided clothes and stepping onto that bus with all my property, I felt like I was in a long-range extension of the prison system. I felt a melancholic indifference to my newly gained situation, and more than that, I felt pressure. The pressure of responsibility.

Oudasha grew up in Albany, New York, in the part of the city she describes plainly and honestly as “the slum part of Albany.” It was a place where resources were limited, but expectations were clear. Showing up mattered. Being on time mattered. And when something needed to be done for the community, people stepped up.

In June 2025, Jamar was released from prison. Today, he has two jobs, a savings account, and plans for the future, but he says one of his favorite things about his new life is getting to drive again.

Sam Schaeffer, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Employment Opportunities, reflects on CEO’s 30-year legacy of advancing economic opportunity for people returning from incarceration and outlines a bold roadmap for impact on the path to Opportunity 2030.

Today, Jesse spends his days supporting others through reentry and mental health challenges, leading programs, and helping build pathways for people with lived experience to succeed. He is a Program Manager and HR Talent Acquisition Specialist at Project Return Peer Support Network and a full time student at Cal State LA.

Every time Courtney, director of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) in Cincinnati, shuts her computer and leaves work after a day spent leading her team, building relationships, and helping formerly incarcerated individuals find work and gain economic stability, she’s reminded of the value of a fair chance.

When Regnarian “Reggie” came home, nothing about reentry was easy. He had returned not to his hometown of Brooklyn, but to Philadelphia, a city where he had no family, no friends, and, at first, no safe place to land. “The halfway house I was in had open drug use, theft, fights every day,” he told me. “I knew I had to advocate for myself if I wanted to survive.”

Growing up between Colorado and California, Corey was one of 13 siblings raised by a single father. Life wasn’t easy, but his childhood was filled with lessons about resilience and responsibility. “My dad taught me how to be a father and I’ll always be grateful for that,” Corey says. “My dad showed me the right things to do through his actions and he was always there.”

Tracy wakes up every morning and goes to work as the assistant manager at a fast-food restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Every time she walks through the doors, she remembers just how much work she and her coworkers put into getting it up and running.