Genevieve Rimer is a recent graduate from the University of Southern California (USC) with a doctorate of social work degree.While at USC, Dr. Rimer created a virtual community of practice platform for employment service providers of second chance job seekers. She was also the Co-Chair of Unchained Scholars. Unchained Scholars is a student interest group for formerly incarcerated social worker students.
Genevieve began her career in the field of social work as an intern providing case management services to women returning home from prison at a halfway house. Working with individuals post-incarceration became her passion and she continued serving these individuals in a variety of capacities including her current role at the Center for Employment Opportunities where she supports employers’ inclusive hiring practices.
Genevieve is also proud to partner with the Forestry & Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP). FFRP assists individuals released from California’s fire camps transfer to a professional fire-fighting career. At FFRP, Genevieve supervises master of social work students and is supporting the buildout of their social support arm. Mostly importantly, Genevieve believes that her redemptive journey through the carceral system has uniquely positioned her to be an advocate for fairness and equality.
Yehudah Pryce graduated Summa Cum Laude from Adams State University, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with an emphasis in Social Welfare in 2019; he earned his Master of Social Work at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in December 2020 where he was the Chair of Unchained Scholars; and he is now working toward a Doctor of Social Work degree at Simmons University. He is a social worker for the Young Adult Court in Orange County, a psychotherapist at the residential addiction treatment center Beit T’Shuvah, and a formerly incarcerated community member who was released in October of 2018 after serving over 16 years in prison for a non-violent robbery that he was arrested for as a teenager.
Training & Presentation Topics Include:
GENEVIEVE RIMER and YEHUDAH PRYCE present Collateral Consequences and Smart De-Carceration:
Imagine your life without work, stable housing, the ability to vote or pursue higher education. As social workers, we pride ourselves on serving people that are vulnerable, oppressed, and those living in poverty. Sadly, many individuals returning home from incarceration are susceptible to these grim realities becoming their future. These “realities” are really a direct result of collateral consequences. Collateral consequences are limits and restrictions individuals face when returning home from incarceration. They prevent people from obtaining a certain sense of normalcy that others without a conviction can obtain. People returning home from incarceration face 46,000 collateral consequences. Have you ever wondered what someone’s journey through incarceration is like? Did you know that the carceral system perpetuates trauma? Have you ever considered the power of the language you use to describe someone with a criminal conviction? Drawing on social work principles and utilizing the power of storytelling, this workshop is designed to increase social work awareness of one of the 12 Grand Challenges of Social Work: Promote Smart De-Carceration Initiative.