Give a Beat recently launched an initiative “All Hands on the Decks,” to advocate for returning citizens on both a personalized program level and at the ballot box.

As you may know we have a racially motivated for-profit system of mass incarceration in need of major reform from policing, DA’s, prison sentences, to post-release parole, and barriers. These stats are just shocking:

  • Half of Americans have had a close family member experience incarceration.
  • There are 70 million people living with a previous felony conviction facing thousands of barriers.
  • 1 in 13 African Americans can’t vote due to felony disenfranchisement compared to 1 in 57 non-Black voters

Building on the success of their Prison Electronic Music Program, under contract with the State or California, Give a Beat is now taking their program to a new group of eager participants, those reentering society after incarceration.

We encourage you to watch this inspiring video that will convince you that so many returning citizens are highly motivated, compassionate, resourceful people, filled with untapped talents and ready to take on the world!

Tommy & Allen offered to share their story of healing, brotherly love, childhood trauma, resilience, and transformation to support Give a Beat’s new reentry program.  VIDEO LINK

The campaign ends Saturday October 10th.

Funds raised will support the new Reentry Mentoring program in these ways, DONATE HERE.

  • $10 covers a meal for a student
  • $20 provides safe transportation to/from class
  • $50 buys music production software
  • $200 allows a participant to attend an educational full-day reentering/professional skill-building workshop 
  • $500 provides a laptop for a participant to produce music on and keep for all professional purposes after the program is completed
  • $1000 sponsors a teaching artist to teach the 3-month pilot program 

“On a New Track” Reentry Mentoring Program will pilot in January in partnership with Defy Ventures and the California Mentoring Partnership. This program will train formerly incarcerated people in music production, DJing, entrepreneurial, business, and other transferable skills and connect them with mentors from the music industry. 

To find out more about the campaign, the programs as well as important related ballot measures in your state visit allhandsonthedecks.com!