“I love the pull yourself up by your bootstraps philosophy but that implies that you have boots.” – Jason Cleaveland
“We’ve created so many barriers to entry for the for these low-level entry-level jobs that were people are really doomed to life a life of poverty.” – Jason Cleaveland
“So many times what happens is they lose that hope after going to 10, 15, 20, 30 job interviews and being denied that it’s very attractive to go back down to the corner and sell dope” – Jason Cleaveland
What type of job opportunities are available for formally incarcerated individuals? They can be few and far between but there is one job title which attributes to many success stories in the tech industry…Entreprenuer. Jason Cleaveland is the founder and CEO of Obodo and a Just Leadership USA – Leading with Conviction Fellow. He is an entrepreneur, teacher and speaker dedicated to creating new opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals to develop into the people they want to be. Jason believes that access to tools, training and technology is one of the biggest barriers that disconnected communities face as they overcome the devastation brought on by mass-incarceration. Most recently, Jason was invited to be a part of the Unlocked Futures accelerator to elevate the mission of Obodo and to bring Obodo’s tools, training and technology to the people who so desperately need them.
Links to Jason and Obodo – https://obodo.is
http://blog.newprofit.org/amplify/first-group-of-unlocked-futures-entrepreneurs-announced
A few Collaborations between Jason and Ken
Just Add Water – Blind (Music Video) – https://youtu.be/SDT2kwSL7Bw
Nervous Pudding – Time (Music Video) – https://youtu.be/LQAHy2GfWOg
Visit Ken @ www.kencalcaterra.com and on various social media outlets and please share and comment on this episode. Sign up to our mailing list to receive a discount code for Blue Planet Eyewear products.
Special Thanks to show sponsors:
Dr. Mark Holland – http://chiroandrehab.com/ and http://www.mystlouischiropractor.com/
Christy and Tom Holman – For their support of my voice over the years whether it be the podcast or video work. I can’t thank them enough.
Songbird Cafe – Where can you listen to a group of uber talented singer/songwriters in St. Louis? Look no further than the Songbird Café a monthly showcase produced by Steve St. Cyr who was inspired by Nashville’s iconic Bluebird Café. For tickets and show listings visit http://www.songbird-stl.com/
Hobo Cane – The artist formally known as Javier Mendoza continues to craft mindful emotional tunes. This episode features the song Asleep at the Wheel from his album Step Into My Place. Check out his work at http://www.hobocane.com/
