A New Way of Life Reentry Project will host its annual gala on Thursday November 17, 2011 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. Please join us as we honor several amazing individuals, celebrate the successes of our residents and clients, and enjoy celebrity performances. The one and only Sharon Osbourne will present an award, and with a VIP ticket you will get a chance to mix and mingle with her and other high-profile supporters. This will be an evening to remember, so don’t miss it! Please visit our online donation page to purchase tickets or sponsorships. Thank you for your support.

ANWOL 2011 Gala Catching Falling Stars Sponsorship Deck

We are excited to present this second-ever edition of our newsletter! Our aim is to bring you quarterly updates about our events, success stories, save-the-dates, and all other manner of goings-on at A New Way of Life. More frequent updates and events can always be found here on our website. We hope you enjoy this summer edition of our newsletter, and we want to hear back from you! Please send us your feedback, and get in touch if you have questions about any of our meetings or events. Also, please help us spread the word! Forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues, or invite them to visit us. Thank you.

Summer 2011 newsletter

A New Way of Life Reentry Project is proud to serve as a Reform 2011 Partner for the International Reform Conference hosted by our friends at the Drug Policy Alliance.

The conference will be held in Los Angeles at the Westin Bonaventure hotel from November 2-5, 2011. Please visit the Reform Conference’s website for more information. We hope to see you there!

Please support our resident, Sylvia, who is about to give birth to a baby boy and has absolutely none of the needed supplies or clothing. We are planning a baby shower for Sylvia on June 12, and need your help to provide the basics. Please call us at 323-563-3575 to arrange drop off of donations, or for information about attending the baby shower. Or consider making a donation online by clicking the “donote” button on the right, and earmarking your contribution “baby shower.” Thank you!

On May 27, 2011, the Atlanta Post ran a story about 8 formerly incarcerated people who are making a difference in their communities. Featured among the 8 inspirational leaders is Susan Burton, Founder and Executive Director of A New Way of Life Reentry Project. The piece written by Souleo tells the stories of Glenn Martin, Christopher Linder, Michael Tabon, Tina Reynolds, Vivian Nixon, Karlton Harris, and Amir Amma, in addition to Susan Burton. Writes Suleo, “It takes strength, courage and perseverance to overcome substance abuse. Perhaps even more impressively, it takes a rare form of compassion to then help carry the burdens of other people’s addictions. Susan Burton possesses that rare trait.”

Read the whole story here.

On Wednesday May 4, 2011, Susan Burton and her daughter Antoinette were interviewed live on the CBS daytime television show The Talk. The entire week of the show was devoted to “mothers who move us”. Sharon Osbourne took a personal interst in Susan’s story, and brought her film crew out to the reentry home to interview residents. Check out Part I and Part II from The Talk, and check out our Flickr stream with photos from the interviews conducted by The Talk producers with Susan and ANWOL residents on 4/20/11.

On Friday, April 30, 2011, ANWOL’s Women Organizing for Justice project graduated 18 new social justice leaders from it’s one-of-a-kind Leadership Training Institute! The class of 2011 was the most dynamic, diverse, and engaged yet,  and included advocates–both new and seasoned–from a range of community-based organizations and institutions, including 4 women from Vanguard University who earned college credit for their participation in the Institute. Celebrating 4 months of critical education, consciousness-raising, skill-building, and mutual empowerment, graduates hosted a potluck and ceremony, and completed a  final evaluation, including a reflection on their plans for contributing to movements for social justice going forward. (View photos from the event here.) We are so proud of the accomplishments of all of our participants! We are confident that they will go out into the world and advocate with strength and passion for social justice.

Ms. Charsleen Poe came to A New Way of Life after being released from prison in 2008. Less than 2 years later, and with a lot of support and determination, Charsleen moved into her own apartment. While residing at ANWOL, she got sober, she participated in our Women Organizing for Justice Leadership Training Institute, she was given an internship in our community organizing office, and she took on the role of coordinating our monthly Reentry Legal Clinics, which she continues to this day. But there was just one thing holding Charsleen back from stepping into her true potential –  the need for dental care. Her prior addiction and the inability to afford dental work had ruined her smile. While attending the CNN Heroes Tribute with Susan Burton, Charsleen met an angel by the name of Dr. Nina Gray of Dental Plus. Over the course of two months, this most generous dentist fitted Charsleen first with a temporary and then a permanent set of teeth. The result was life-transforming.  Charsleen’s smile now lights up the room! Please take a look at our video documentary:

On Tuesday evening, April 5, 2011, All of Us or None had a major breakthrough with Compton’s City Council. The mayor and all council members voted to BAN THE BOX!

(Read an article from the Precinct Reporter published BEFORE our victory about the Ban the Box Campaign.)

Our team would like to invite everyone out to help celebrate our victory on April 12, 2011, @ 5:30PM @ WLCAC’s Freedom Hall. This meeting will also include Lifer’s Families and Friends Project. We shall celebrate, but we will also keep in mind that the victory in Compton is only the beginning of a process that has the potential to expand to others cities. We shall discuss which city will be our next focus, and how we can mobilize even more supporters to build our power. We hope to eventually take our campaign all the way to LA County!

I would like to personally thank each individual that spoke to the Compton City Council Tuesday evening and the supporters that were there to cheer us on in spirit and in truth. The atmosphere touched me personally and I am truly grateful for the team that was put together to voice our Ban the Box strategies.

Susan Burton, Melissa Burch, Vonya Quarls, Quanmesha Smith, Lady “T”, Mike Chattom, myself, and others gave the council words that were so awesome, delightful and true that we cannot be thankful enough for the dedication that went with the struggle.

Save the date and come join us Tuesday evening to celebrate. If there are any questions, comments that you have and cannot wait for the 12th, feel free to call me any time.

Fanya Baruti
All of Us or None Organizer
(323) 357-8431

We are so proud to present our NEWsletter! This inagural edition is just the first…we will be bringing you quarterly updates about our events, success stories, save-the-dates, and all other manner of goings-on at A New Way of Life. More frequent updates and events can always be found here on our website. We hope you enjoy this first edition of our newsletter, and we want to hear back from you! Please send us your feedback, and get in touch if you have questions about any of our meetings or events. Also, please help us spread the word! Forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues, or invite them to visit us. Thank you.