Alchristopher Allen counted among several job seekers who recently converged on the D.C. Armory in search of jobs, educational opportunities, and social services.
For hours, during what was called the “2023 Citywide Jobs Not Guns Recruitment Fair,” Allen walked around the armory auditorium, spoke with recruiters and gathered information about possible avenues of employment.
Allen said he attended the recruitment fair after learning about it from staff members at Career Shop DC, a local workforce development program. His ultimate goal, he told The Informer, was to be able to support himself and his 8-year-old daughter.
Allen, a returning citizen who lives in Northeast, said he dreamt at one point of becoming a fitness instructor. However, he’s since tabled that goal, setting his sights on what he described as stable and lucrative employment.
When The Informer caught up with Allen, he was waiting in line to speak with a job recruiter representing Metro.
“Finding a career would solidify some financial comfort,” said Allen, 41. “I know it takes time but I got my mom, my daughter and my family keeping me going. I’m definitely doing it for them. If not them, then I’m not doing nothing. The main focus is them.”
A Mandate Nearly Three Years in the Making
On Tuesday, organizers anticipated nearly 200 D.C. residents attending the 2023 Citywide Jobs Not Guns Recruitment Fair, the sixth of its kind since 2021, when D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) launched the D.C. Office of Gun Violence Prevention, then under the leadership of the late Linda Harlee Harper.
Those who attended the recruitment fair on Nov. 28 included returning citizens, job-seeking parents, students from Maya Angelou Public Charter School, and young adults from River Terrace Education Campus’ Workforce Development Center.
The event opened up with remarks from Rosalind Styles, president of the National Association of Minority Contractors — Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Chapter (NAMC-WMAC), and Staff Sergeant Jermaine Denee Bowens of the D.C. National Guard.
Other speakers included D.C. Council member Robert White (D-At-Large), Assistant Chief Andre Wright of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Aaron Jenkins of the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, and Lindsey Appiah, deputy mayor for public safety and justice.
Ahmad the Rapper later performed a heartfelt song about, as he told audience members, shooting for the stars, and not shooting at others.
The Jobs Not Guns Coalition, which includes NAMC-WMAC, Inner Thoughts, Inc, and D.C. Concerned Black Business Owners, hosted this recruitment fair in partnership with the D.C. National Guard. Styles said this arrangement paved the way for MPD, D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard, along with other entities, to park their cars inside the armory and conduct live demonstrations.
Attendees ate lunch prepared on site by youths enrolled in the Potomac Job Corps.
Other partner organizations included the United Planning Organization, the Carpenters Union, U.S. Navy, and Howard University Hospital. In the coming months, the Jobs Not Guns Coalition will host a youth conference.
Since its inception, the coalition has hosted two youth conferences along with two business conferences intended to encourage businesses to participate in recruitment fairs. Styles called this work a continuation of Harper’s vision and an intentional means of deterring violence.
“People can get employment, training and support services,” Styles said, speaking about the recruitment fair. “We have onsite vendors who are bringing equipment and program services to demonstrate the opportunities [that are] available. We want to raise young people’s consciousness to alternatives to gun violence.”
Attendees and Vendors Reflect on Their Experience
Other vendors at the 2023 Citywide Jobs Not Guns Recruitment Fair included WMATA and WMATA transit police, So Others Might Eat, Community College Preparatory Academy Public Charter School, D.C. Department of Employment Services, and the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative.
A returning citizen who asked to be identified as “Live Free, Die Hard,” said he learned about the recruitment fair from his probation officer and staff members at the READY Center.
While he has life goals he wants to fulfill after more than two decades of incarceration, this Gen Xer told The Informer that his first priority is making money legally. He expressed his concern that he wouldn’t be eligible for some of the jobs he came across.
“I want to live and survive and do things where I don’t have to worry about street activity,” Live Free, Die Hard said. “Everything is a plus, especially [because] I want to generate income. The streets are not an option for me anymore.”
Vernikca Banks guided her students from River Terrace Education Campus’ Workforce Development Center through the D.C. Armory. They listened closely as government officials, in their brief remarks, expressed their love for them and encouraged them to pursue their dreams.
As River Terrace Education Campus’ workforce development coordinator, Banks spends much of her time helping the young adults under her purview, many of them with disabilities, become more marketable to employers. She said the recruitment fair furthered her goals by placing her students in an environment chock full of employment opportunities.
“This event gives District youth a chance to see what’s out there,” Banks said. “This helps them see if they’re interested in the military and various fields. It opens up a window and way for students, and District youth as a whole, to learn and become employable.”
Charnice Griffin, an outreach specialist at the Functional Training Zone, Inc., a Prince George’s County’s American Job Center member organization, echoed Banks’ sentiments.
On Tuesday, Griffin collected pamphlets from recruiters and explored the possibility of them visiting Functional Training Zone, Inc. to speak with her students. She said that those visits, along with a podcast she and her colleagues produce, will enlighten the young people seeking valuable employment that seems out of reach.
“A lot of young people don’t know their options so once they get a broader view, they get hope,” Griffin said. “They are limited to sports and going straight to the military so this event shows them how they can make their world better… It’s about giving them the inside connection to advance so we can see more of our people in different fields.”
Opportunity was the word of the day at the D.C. Armory, as vendors around the armory auditorium focused on doling out information and answering questions about their offerings, including high school diplomas, certifications, and employment opportunities.
Marquita Vaughn, a recruitment and retention coordinator at Community College Preparatory Charter School in Southeast, spent much of the morning assuring people that they could indeed further their education and make up for lost time.
“I’m looking for an opportunity to let our community know what certifications and resources we offer and help our community be prepared for employment with skills,” Vaughn said. “We stop violence by giving individuals opportunities to have employment which keeps them [from] causing violence in the community.”
