On Wednesday, hundreds are expected to attend a symposium at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) to help educate employers about hiring and working with recently incarcerated individuals.

In 2020 alone, over 500,000 people were released from the prison system in New York. Even though laws have been put in place to prevent discrimination, that doesn’t guarantee that employers will not believe in stigma.

Each year, New York state alone releases over 200,000 people from prisons and jails. However, many employers still struggle to fill thousands of positions. This morning, an event is being held to help break down the barriers to employment for those re-entering the workforce.

There will also be a panel discussion to help participants understand the challenges of navigating life on parole.

Last month, NewsChannel 13 spoke with TeAna Taylor, who is the child of an incarcerated father and an advocate. She said that there is still a stigma when it comes to offering formerly incarcerated individuals a chance.

“People who want to do what’s right and contribute financially and lift their families out of poverty and not go back to prison. And this is what our communities are sorely missing,” she said. “As a community, we do a lot of our work organizing with folks who are impacted by incarceration, and there’s so much more just negative things that come along with incarceration. We’re really sick and tired as a community.”

This free event will take place at HVCC from 8 to 11 a.m.; more information is available here.