Over 1000 March to the State House for Jobs and CORI Reform
Press Release Contact: Aaron Tanaka
For Immediate Release (617) 359-0336
Over One Thousand 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, over 1000 Bay Staters marched 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
Chuck Turner, Boston City Councilor, District 7
Felix D. Arroyo, 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 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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