April: Second Chance Month

April is nationally recognized as Second Chance Month.

We’re dedicating this April to the resilience and creativity of our formerly incarcerated community members, who often have to navigate unjust systems and consequences far beyond time incarcerated.

This April, we look forward to localizing Second Chance Month in collaboration with our partners in Pasadena, Altadena, and LA County.

Save the date for these events all month long—from celebrating the start of new careers in union construction to the opportunity to hear from formerly incarcerated artists.

• April 2^nd – APP Class 52 Graduation at The Collaboratory (6:00pm-8:00pm). RSVP here!
• April 10^th – D.A.D.S Graduation at Flintridge Center (6:00pm-8:00pm)
  • Dads are Dependable Solutions (D.A.D.S) is a personal development program for local dads (many formerly incarcerated and gang-impacted), that was started by Edwin, one of Flintridge Center’s APP graduates. The program combines weekly shared meals with legal guidance, job training, and emotional support, resulting in a unique space that meets the needs of men raising children. Read more about the D.A.D.S program here, and join us for graduation on April 10th!
• April 18^th – Community Picnic at McDonald Park (Event 11-2pm, reservation 9:30-2:30). Join us for food, games, and family fun! We’ll have free BBQ and activities designed for kids. No RSVP required.
• April 23^rd – Screening + Panel: Sing Sing at The Center for Restorative Justice (First Baptist Church Pasadena)
  • The Center for Restorative Justice and the Flintridge Center invite you to join us for a community screening of Sing Sing (2023). Based on a true story, Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group with other incarcerated men (played by formerly incarcerated men). We hope this communal viewing will show the resilience, humanity, and transformative power of art. A panel discussion and group conversation will follow after the screening. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Register to join us here!
• April 29^rd – Arts Beyond Incarceration at Flintridge Center (5:30pm-7:30pm).
  • Arts Beyond Incarceration will feature a panel of individuals with lived experience of incarceration who have used their experiences to create various forms of art—from an author to a spoken word artist, a dancer, and a leader in arts education.