Pennsylvania Friends Open Restaurant That Only Hires Ex-Convicts, Giving Them a 2nd Chance
A couple of childhood friends Kurt Evans and Muhammad Abdul-Hadid, have decided to team up with Down North Pizza a restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that only hires people who’ve been previously incarcerated to give them an opportunity and to reduce the recidivism rate. Evans, a chef by trade is known for his End Mass Incarceration Dinner series, and his friend Abdul-Hadid decided to work together to use their love for pizza and passion to help others by launching Down North Pizza on March 2021.
Alongside serving Detroit-style pizza, Evans and Abdul-Hadi have made the decision to only hire former felons to work for them.
“We just want to meet people where they’re at and help them along the way,” Evans told Good Morning America. “It was very important for us to help these people coming from the system and break the cycle of mass incarceration.”
The pair currently have eight employees with some of them who needed short-term housing units were also provided six months free rent at the upstairs apartment, allowing the employees to save money to find permeant housing.
Their chef, Michael Carter, is a former felon who had years of prior experience in the kitchen and is thankful for the opportunity.
“I fit the criteria because of my own story. I was locked up in 2015, about two weeks before my youngest daughter was born. I was happy to be a part of the mission and be able to push the line for social justice.”
Since opening in March, the lines for the pizzeria have been out the door.
Japan's young tennis phenom Naomi Osaka scored her fourth Grand Slam title winning her final match in the Australian Open, Read more
A Black police officer has been fired from the Lexington Police Department after an investigation found he provided information to a Read more
Despite obstacles from the coronavirus pandemic altering the course of her food business, Charisse McGill has become the first Black woman Read more
Andra Day, who was recognized at the Golden Globes on Sunday for her portrayal of music legend Billie Holiday, became the Read more
I LOVE exploring the food scene in Harlem New York. In this video, I'm hanging out with my friend Jewels Read more
“I’m getting the last word! Oh, no you’re not! Oh, yes I am! Scram!” Tyra Banks aka Jackie, Will's ex-girlfriend Read more
This is the original 1998 animated movie "Our Friend, Martin". It is 61 minutes long source
Dawn O’Porter is back for another episode of Soul Food, and this time she is out to uncover what’s so Read more
Courtney Sanders has a dream for 19 years, that dream was to start a restaurant using the skills he learned Read more
After a historic (and incredibly turbulent) year that included everything from social unrest to the start of an ongoing pandemic, Read more
A Black Connecticut woman said a TD Bank branch, where she’s banked for 16 years, discriminated against her as she Read more
Antonio and Andrea Williams say they postponed their honeymoon because they wanted to immediately start their first retail business Tryon Dollar Read more