[IMC-Boston-Dispatch] 4/19: March for Jobs/CORI Reform

[Boston Indymedia]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eve Lyman <elyman at bostonmobilization.org>

 *Press
Release

Contact: Whitney A. Taylor*

*For Immediate
Release

(617) 335-1841*



*Hundreds to March In Support of Jobs and CORI Reform*

*Boston** City Councilors, Cambridge Mayor, and State Legislators Join
Boston Workers Alliance and a Coalition of 50 Statewide Organizations to
March to the State House for Jobs and CORI Reform*



*Boston, MA* — On Thursday, April 19th hundreds of Bay Staters are planning
to march from Roxbury Crossing "T" Stop to the Boston Common and then on to
the State House to ask the legislature to support CORI reform and stop
crisis of joblessness in poor communities. The movement for reform has been
growing over the last several years with cities and towns from across the
Commonwealth joining the Boston City Council in passing resolutions calling
to reform CORI at the state level.



 "Criminal record based discrimination is preventing tens of thousands of
Massachusetts residents from obtaining jobs, housing, loans and financial
aid," stated Louise Powell, Steering Committee Member, Boston Worker's
Alliance. "While Governor Patrick agrees that the CORI system is broken, we
must show our legislators that the time for change is now."



Massachusetts' communities and families have been negatively affected by
current laws surrounding the CORI system and the obstacles this system
creates for people trying to obtain jobs, housing, and acceptance into
licensure and educational programs. When the system prevents people from
earning an honest living, families suffer, crime increases, and the State
loses revenue. There are 2.8 million CORI profiles on record, and 1.5
million profiles are given out each year to both private and public
entities.



 "The overuse and misuse of CORI information traps tens of thousands of
Massachusetts families in poverty and fear, and needs to be reformed." Said
James Cain, president of EPOCA (Ex-prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for
Community Advancement, in Worcester. "CORI is not tough on crime or
criminals, only on people who are trying to work and support their
families."



*WHAT:*           *March for Jobs and CORI Reform*

*Partial List of Sponsors:** The Boston Workers Alliance AND Action for
Boston Community Development, 
Boston Mobilization, Boston Rosa Parks Human
Rights Committee, Boston School Bus Union, City Life / Vida Urbana,
Community Change Inc., Community Church of Boston, Criminal Justice Policy
Coalition, Democracy Center, Dorchester People for Peace, Ex-prisoners &
Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement (EPOCA), Jobs With Justice,
Juvenile Justice Center, Massachusetts Alliance to Reform CORI (MARC),
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Massachusetts Mothers On the Move,
Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR),
Neighbor to
Neighbor, Massachusetts
Oiste!, Partakers Inc.,
Prisoner Re-entry Working
Group, Rosie's Place, SEIU Local 509 Human Service Workers, SEIU Local 615
Building Service Workers, STRIVE, Inc., Student Labor Action Movement, Teen
Empowerment, Urban League of Eastern Mass., United Food & Commercial Workers
Local 1445, & United Youth and Youth Workers of Boston, Veterans Benefits
Clearinghouse, Inc*

*For a full list of sponsors go to: www.bostonworkersalliance.org*



*WHEN:*                      Thursday, April 19th



*WHERE*         10:00 am — Roxbury Crossing — *Organizers Start the March*

*& WHO:*         12:00 pm — The Boston Common, Parkman Bandstand near
Tremont Street

                                                                        *Felix
D. Arroyo, Boston City Councilor, At-Large*

*                                                                        Sam
Yoon, Boston City Councilor, At-Large*

*
Mayor Kenneth Reeves, Cambridge, MA*

                                                            1:30 pm — The
Grand Staircase in the State House

                                    *
Senator Edward M. Augustus Jr. (D), Worcester*

*
Senator Robert S. Creedon Jr. (D), Plymouth & Bristol*

*
Senator Dianne Wilkerson (D), Boston*

*
Representative Michael E. Festa (D), Middlesex*

*
Representative Gloria L. Fox (D), Boston*

*
Larry Mayes, Chief of Health & Human Services, City of Boston*

* *

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