Centering Lived Experience in Equity Policy Development: Insights from a Community of Practice Event

Photo of CJC’s Community of Practice event held March 20th.

On March 20th, the Chicago Jobs Council (CJC) hosted the second conversation as part of its Community of Practice series. This iteration, titled ‘Centering Lived Experience in Equity Policy Development,' focused on including and amplifying formerly incarcerated people's experiences in policymaking. The conversation brought together people from different workforce development organizations committed to reshaping their approach to workforce equity to better the workforce ecosystem. As participants gathered, CJC’s Anti-Racist Framework and Implementation Guide was instrumental in guiding our discussion on repairing past injustices in workforce development and related fields.

We invited Consuella L. Brown – a specialist in board development, facilitation, executive coaching, grantmaking, program development, and interim staffing, who also lectures at Loyola and Dominican Universities – to be the conversation facilitator. She ignited thought-provoking conversations by posing questions about personal struggles and triumphs in their lives, leading them to their current career paths. Panelists and attendees shared poignant stories revealing the profound impact of mentorship, resilience, and workforce support services in helping them overcome obstacles. These narratives underscored the value of job training, re-entry programs, and inclusive career pathways.

Participants shared stories about their career challenges and how they overcame them, exemplifying the power of perseverance and community support. The conversation highlighted how barriers from learning disabilities to systemic racism can cause disruptions in educational and employment journeys.

The event also sparked introspection on childhood dreams and the influence of societal structures on individual trajectories. Since the event's focus was lived experience, panelists included individuals with justice-system involvement who overcame immense obstacles upon re-entry, thanks partly to support services like Chicago’s Cara Collective program.

Brown shared this video with attendees to introduce the topic of marginalization and the role it plays in shaping – and misshaping – policy.

Major themes of the event discussions were the need for policies to be informed by more people with lived experience, persistent challenges in institutionalizing meaningful change, and the social stigma attached to people with criminal records. Attendees also emphasized the importance of elevating voices from marginalized communities in crafting workforce development policy.

Brown posed a pivotal question to the group as the event concluded: How can organizations ensure that individuals with lived experience are not treated as objects? This exploration alluded to the event’s central theme of empowering marginalized voices and challenging systemic inequities.

We hope the insights gleaned from this event will serve as a call to action for organizations involved to prioritize inclusivity and equity in their policy development practices. By centering lived experiences, fostering mentorship, and challenging institutional norms, CJC hopes to pave the way for a more just and equitable workforce landscape.