Unlock Potential: American Family Insurance and Delta Air Lines join racial equity focused youth hiring program to prevent incarceration

June 16, 2022 — American Family Insurance and Delta Air Lines have announced their participation in Unlock Potential, a ground-breaking new hiring program designed to create meaningful career opportunities for young adults at the greatest risk of incarceration. Access to gainful employment is critical in determining who ends up behind bars, and by participating these companies will advance racial equity, disrupt the poverty-to-prison pipeline, and develop the next generation of corporate leaders – with the diversity necessary to thrive.

By participating in Unlock Potential, companies can advance racial equity and disrupt the poverty-to-prison pipeline.

"At American Family Insurance, we've made it a priority to create real second chances for people who have been incarcerated. But we also need to be working to prevent individuals from ending up in prison in the first place. Unlock Potential will do precisely that," said Nyra Jordan, social impact director at the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact. "By widening the positive life choices available to the young adults who are most at-risk, we can tackle crime, imprisonment, inequality and poverty."

The announcement comes just days before millions across the country observe Juneteenth, highlighting the intentional equity focus of Unlock Potential and its mission to address and help solve for the racially disproportionate impact of the US justice system – and the economic disenfranchisement it creates. By preventing incarceration before it starts, Unlock Potential wants to thwart intergenerational cycles of unemployment and poverty at the root.

"We know that having a diverse workforce builds a better and more innovative business," said Keyra Lynn Johnson, Delta's V.P. and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer. "This partnership builds a bridge to individuals who often don't have connection and opportunities to careers at Delta, while at the same time broadening our access to untapped talent."

Studies show that first-time incarceration can decrease lifetime earnings by more than 30 percent. These obstacles disproportionately impact BIPOC communities. Black Americans are incarcerated at nearly five times the rate of whites, and the effect of a criminal record on employment is 40% more damaging for Black men than white men. Unlock Potential will focus on the 4.4 million Americans identified as "disconnected": individuals aged 16 to 24 who are neither in education nor employment. These individuals are far more likely than their peers to suffer negative outcomes like poverty and imprisonment. They are also disproportionately BIPOC – in some places, young Black and Latino people are 3-to-6 times more likely to be disconnected than young whites.

The program will focus on young individuals who have experienced one or more of the following additional risk factors for justice system involvement: an incarcerated parent, sex or human trafficking, the juvenile justice system, or the foster care system.

Following the design consultation phase, which will wrap up in October, Unlock Potential will launch a 12-month pilot program in which at-risk young people will be provided with career placements - with significant potential for development and advancement - at American Family Insurance, Delta Air Lines, and other participating employers. These placements will be supported by the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, co-founders of Unlock Potential. Participants will also be connected with local wraparound support services through national non-profit Persevere.

American Family Insurance and Delta Air Lines join Ben & Jerry's, who announced their participation at the end of last month.