Celebration Generosity 2015 - Get to Know Defy Ventures
Forefront is excited about one of our newest partnerships in the city, Defy Ventures. Click here to read another article about our history with this partnership. Defy Ventures is an entrepreneurship, employment, and character training program for people with criminal histories. Defy works to “transform the hustle” of formerly incarcerated Entrepreneurs-in-Training (EITs) by offering intensive leadership development, Shark Tank-style business plan competitions, executive mentoring, financial investment, and startup incubation. Defy offers their EITs a legitimate chance to succeed and equips them to become profitable entrepreneurs, stellar employees, engaged parents, committed role models, and leaders in their communities.
Learn more about the issues of incarceration and unemployment in our country and what Defy Ventures is doing to help by reading these recommended articles...
1) Here’s an article written by Defy Founder and CEO, Catherine Hoke, on why entrepreneurship is such a great route for someone coming out of prison. It provides insight into what Defy believes and why they are finding such success through their programs.
2) Defy’s website is loaded full of great statistics about incarceration rates and recidivism rates in our county. We encourage you to explore their site to learn more about the problems of mass incarceration in our county, the solutions we can offer and what Defy is already doing to impact and renew our world.
3) Check out this NY Times article that goes in depth on juvenile incarceration rates and how locking a teen up often does more harm than good. The more we learn about the circumstances others’ face, the more we’ll find it possible to say "I see you" and show compassion to the underdogs of our society.