FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA ADVISORY

Advancing Criminal Justice Reform in Baltimore, Local Civic Innovators Reconvene to

Build Prototypes for Post Incarceration Reentry Solutions

BALTIMORE, MD, June 16, 2016 – Just four months after hosting the Rebuilding Reentry

Design and Data Day, its inaugural Baltimore social justice event focused specifically on post

incarceration reentry, Mission: Launch, Inc. is reconvening city stakeholders (including more

than 20 recently released residents) committed to building viable prototypes for future

implementation.

The Rebuilding Reentry Baltimore Build Day is a one-day event assembling engaged

citizens, from Baltimore and Washington, DC.; attendees have the collective focus of improving

service delivery outcomes for the formerly incarcerated and successfully navigating Baltimore

residents with arrest and conviction records back to the core of society. Based upon systems

gaps identified during the human centered design process of the February event, these reentry

prototypes will advance community sourced ideas, inclusive of the following areas: family

reunification services, probation/parole guidance, vital records/state ID provision, peer

mentorship and anti-stigma efforts.

“We are excited for this follow up event from February's gathering,” says Laurin Hodge, co-

founder and Executive Director of Mission: Launch, Inc. “Moving the ideas of some of

Baltimore's recently released residents is critical to what we do and what is needed to rebuild

the process of coming back home.” Teresa Hodge, co-founder and EVP adds, “I am excited

about moving ideas forward and helping to promote the power of technology to accelerate

reentry for women and men. Last February, ideas were compiled and data searched. This event

is all about getting those ideas to work and making solutions available online.”

The Rebuilding Reentry Baltimore Build Day is the follow up event to the February 2016

Rebuilding Reentry Baltimore Design and Data Day.

WHO: This event is hosted by Mission: Launch, Inc., its space partner Impact Hub Baltimore,

the Baltimore Safe and Sound Campaign as well as the Baltimore City Accelerator in

conjunction with the Citi Foundation/Living Cities challenge team, sponsored by the Mayor’s

Office on Criminal Justice.

WHAT: The Rebuilding Reentry Baltimore Build Day is a community problem solving and

prototyping gathering; it is convened to discuss, understand and build solutions for local prison

reentry issues. The day’s agenda will be held in partnership with the Baltimore City Accelerator.

Through this event, service providers and concerned citizens are able to identify areas where

they would like to improve the processes of supporting the reentry community and prototype

needs specific tech driven solutions. Those directly impacted by mass incarceration are critical

partners in problem identification and solving. Teams will invest time and resources towards

community sourced ideas with the goal of presenting their solutions for city level

implementation.

WHEN: Saturday, June 18, 2016 (9:00 am - 5:30 pm – introductions, project pitches and

development of build groups/working sessions);

WHERE: The Rebuilding Reentry Baltimore Build Day will convene at Impact Hub Baltimore 10

E. North Avenue, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21202;

For more information, contact Bryn Phillips 202-449-4677 Ext. 702 [email protected]

EVENT HASHTAG: #BmoreBuildDay

About Mission: Launch, Inc.

Mission Launch, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization, and is the founding and managing

member of the Rebuilding Re-entry Coalition. The corporation is committed to the elimination of

bias against Returning Citizens so that they can rejoin society and live out their full potential free

of the stigma, which is an invisible life sentence. The mission of the organization is to build

software that upholds human rights, design opportunities for civic engagement, and amplify

inclusive thought leadership, so that social outcomes for marginalized communities are

improved. Website www.mission-launch.org Twitter: www.twitter.com/mission_launch

Facebook: www.facebook.com/missionlaunch

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