Long Beach: Ronnie’s House 501(c)3, Leader in Re-Entry Programming and Advocacy in Long Beach, CA, is hosting a three-day “Resiliency and Healing Summit” July 29th – July 31st, 2021 for individuals who were incarcerated and have been impacted by the justice system. The Summit will kick off on Ronnie Senegal’s birthday, a Youth Mentor, Community Advocate, and Business Owner, Author, who turned his life around after years of incarceration and representing himself in a three-strike case that resulted in a hung jury. Ronnie’s House was launched in 2016 by Shirin Senegal, after losing her husband Ronnie at the age of 43 to gun violence, to further his life’s work. The two met in 2011 and were married in 30 days. \

“After I lost my husband, I was lost, comments Shirin Senegal, navigating day to day life became a challenge, its like your world is stripped away.  My husband’s incarceration affected him a great deal and the remains of being enslaved, stays with a man or woman.    My husband’s resiliency and what he overcame amazed me, Ronnie’s House is about carrying on his work. 

The Resiliency and Healing Summit’s goal is to bring together the voices of the justice impacted community with Local and State Government Agencies and Nonprofit Service Providers, to foster collaboration and healing with the common goal of decreasing recidivism. This year’s summit will also allow the justice-impacted community to participate in hands-on workshops, healing circles, financial literacy seminars, and learn tools that will support them in navigating and rebuilding relationships. Upon release and after years of incarceration, a justice impacted individual is given $200, and no tools to navigate their way back to society. 

Local Long Beach nonprofits like Success in Challenges, founders of the Freedom School in Long Beach, will join the summit by hosting a roundtable supporting the families of those incarcerated while others will address workforce development. In addition, justice impacted African American men will lead a roundtable focused on their needs and challenges to identify actions to move the work forward through effective policy. 

Moreover, Professor James Binall, Co-Founder of Cal State Long Beach’s Rising Scholars/Project Rebound, will host a roundtable to provide access to higher education to those who have been impacted by justice. Collaborators from State, County, and Local Governments will also participate, along with the Economic Development Department of the City of Long Beach. They, along with Cal State University Long Beach’s – Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, led by Professor Wade Martin, will join the conversation to discuss creating additional access to entrepreneurship for justice impacted individuals. 

“It’s great to see a commitment from the County of Los Angeles, to invest in local organizations, who are the most effective in delivering resources and education to the communities they serve. I also see the City of Long Beach’s commitment to investing and supporting Reentry work; as well as our local university, Cal State Long Beach.”, comments Steve Neal, President/Board of Directors of Ronnie’s House. 

The Summit is free to all registrants and is part of a year-long program to create a model to decrease recidivism. To learn more and participate in this year’s “Resiliency and Healing Summit,” visit: www.lbreentrysummit.com or call 1-888-699-3559. The Summit will be virtual with in-person coaching and support for justice impacted attendees.  The first 30 Justice Impacted Attendees that Register and Attend, receive a $200 Stipend and on going support.

“The Recidivism rate in California is 75% due to the lack of rehabilitation behind prison walls and upon release. We have the tools, the compassionate hearts and brilliant minds to keep our loved ones home. We must support Justice Impacted Individuals to do the work, and that include the families .”, comments Shirin Senegal, Executive Director of Ronnie’s House.