Background barriers to employment, whether direct or indirect, can significantly impact an individual's ability to secure and maintain a job.

Union Pacific in Omaha, Nebraska hosts a RISE Reentry Simulation.

“The RISE reentry simulation was an incredibly impactful event for our team. It built a profound awareness of the challenges that justice-impacted individuals face, an awareness that I am confident our team will carry with them for many years to come.”

While reentry can never be fully understood without personal lived experience, creating a learning experience can, at the very least, encourage empathy and avenue for change.

LB20, passed in April, was not new and not radical. It represented 8 years of advocacy and resilience to change the hearts and minds of legislators across Nebraska. We know Nebraskans believe in second chances. We stand with those affected and will keep advocating and working to make change.

RISE is a re-entry program with a mission to help people both inside and outside prison get back on their feet.

"We're helping them with housing, employment, healthy relationships, building a healthy peer community of others who are navigating carceral systems and coming home," said Jeremy Bouman, CEO of RISE.

At ISE we are building a volunteer opportunity service for RISE Graduates who want to give back! One of the recurring things we hear is, “I want to give back but nobody will give me a chance.”

When Ray returned to the community, he struggled like so many do. Addiction took over and he lost touch with us. He went back to prison. But he came back home, he reached back out, and RISE was here. We'll always be here if they're ready.