NBA Social Justice Coalition Holds 'Clean State' Policy Dialogue in Washington, D.C.
The NBA wants to give you a second chance.
This became clear when the Second Chance Business Coalition (SCBC) announced that the NBA had joined the coalition as a new corporate member. SCBC is currently comprised of 50 large private sector employers committed to second-chance hiring and career advancement practices.
“The Second Chance Business Coalition provides an incredible opportunity to source high-quality candidates who can strengthen our culture, with the added benefit of giving those who win a fair chance to get their lives back on track. We provide,” Leslie Slaton Brown said. NBA SVP and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
The NBA Social Justice Coalition, jointly formed by the NBA, NBA Players Association, and NBA Coaches Association in 2020, leverages basketball's influence by advocating for federal, state, and local laws that promote racial discrimination. One of its missions is to promote policies based on and social justice.
James Cadogan, executive director of the Social Justice Coalition, said partnering with the Second Chance Business Coalition will not only help the league office grow, but will also help non-violent offenders in all situations. I believe it will give me an unprecedented opportunity.
“80 million people in this country have a criminal record. That's a quarter of the population,” Mr Cadogan said. “When you consider that a quarter of the population could be locked out of the workforce, you can see that it is not sustainable…
“So, [we wanted] As the NBA League Secretariat, you will be able to step proactively into an area that is committed to developing, learning and growing a previously untapped market of potential employees. ”
Co-chaired by Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Craig Arnold, chairman and chief executive officer of Eaton, the SCBC was launched in April 2021 to provide tools, relationships and expertise. Twenty-nine companies took part, claiming to promote the benefits of second-chance employment while sharing knowledge. Promoting career and economic opportunities for Americans with criminal records.
In joining the SCBC, the NBA is essentially beginning the process of learning the federation's best practices and comparing them to its own practices “to see how we can improve,” Cadogan said.
The league continues to pay close attention to criminal justice reform policies, including second-chance laws such as “clean slates” in New York and Pennsylvania.
“When we think about the NBA community’s ability to participate as a major employer in the ongoing reform process toward a more just and equitable society, being part of the Second Chance Business Coalition allows us to do just that.” in the sense of,” Cadogan said. “It’s something we’re very proud to be a part of.”
NBA involvement likely means more job opportunities Cadogan said he wants to bring in Americans with criminal records in the league who “may not have been considered before.”
Heather Higginbottom is head of corporate responsibility research, policy and insight at JPMorgan Chase, which founded SCBC. She also spent most of her career in Washington, D.C., where she worked as a senior advisor to the Obama administration.
Higginbottom's work with SCBC is about “bringing a spotlight and making people aware of how much of the U.S. population is affected by these issues,” she told NBA.com.
“When I talk to my partners and people about this work, I always find that they are very surprised to learn that one in three American adults actually has some type of criminal conviction.” Higginbottom said. “And how much of a barrier can that be to getting a job?”
Higginbottom believes the NBA's involvement in the SCBC is a natural progression, but more importantly an important addition given the league's popularity and global reach. His 50 full members of SCBC employ millions of people.
For comparison, just four of its members – AT&T, American Airlines, Accenture, and Bank of America – employ approximately 1.2 million people in more than 100 countries.
So why add the NBA?
“We get the same question: 'Why JPMorgan?'” Higginbottom said. “And we really need to understand that by bringing together different partnerships, addressing policy barriers, and taking action as employers, we can start to change and provide more opportunities for people.” It's important. Thinking about different sectors like sports economics, financial services, and high-profile organizations and businesses like the NBA can really help drive action to address these challenges.”
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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer at NBA.com.You can email him and find his archives here here and Follow him on X.
