Pro Bono Program by Stanford Students Helps Former Women Prison Inmates Start Businesses

Students at the law and business schools at Stanford University have established a pro bono program to help women who have recently been released from prison. The 12-week program seeks to teach the women the basics of starting a business. The women sit for two-hour class sessions and also meet with mentors in the business community. The women are developing business plans and pitches that they can make to potential investors. The proposed businesses include retail operations, event planning, and domestic services.

Angela McCray

The program, called Reentry: Making a Difference Through Entrepreneurship (ReMADE), was the brainchild of Angela McCray a law school student. “Working for yourself is a really good model for the formerly incarcerated,” according to McCray. “There are certain barriers to employment for those with a criminal record, not least of which is simple bias. So if they go it alone, they aren’t subjected to those judgments or the scrutiny they may get under a boss.”