ConConnect: Redefining Equal Opportunity

We're developing the ConConnect website—it's not live yet but check out the pre-beta. ConConnect.com ConConnect is a technology-based recruitment company. I came up with the idea three years ago while facing the struggle of post-incarceration. That struggle included no money, no home, and no job after I was released. Even with the education I acquired before incarceration, I faced fourteen job denials. I did what anybody needing a dollar would do and settled for less. I cleaned toilets for a gym in Harlem, New York. My chances of gaining a job worth all my years in college seemed long gone because I was a convicted felon. Two months later I scored a second job for more wages and I worked harder than ever before in my life. Then I worked with job recruitment agencies to secure better employment and I faced the inevitable obstacle of a conviction on my record. No matter how professional I made my resume or the validity of my credentials, I was turned down endlessly, by employer after employer. Finally, I made a personal connection and got a job as a personal trainer at a high-end gym. I learned through my struggle that connections make the difference. As I was working on getting my books published, I had the best idea of my life. I thought of ConConnect—it's like Linkedin, but exclusively for ex-offenders. What if we had our own platform to create a professional presence to showcase employers and to connect with the resources we need? I want others to have access to personal connections and gain higher-paying employment so I'm raising money to keep development going for the ConConnect online platform and to promote the idea to as many formerly incarcerated people as possible. There are 2.3 million people incarcerated in the United States. Six hundred fifty thousand men and women come home every year from prison and over 4 million Americans are on parole. Where we’re at with the development of ConConnect We’re in the web application development stage and we're privileged to be working alongside a team of developers dedicated to the vision of ConConnect being the first social platform for ex-offenders. We are going to connect employers with well-qualified applicants who are upfront about their prior incarceration. All donations will help with developing the ConConnect platform.