JCOD Launches New SECTOR Partnership Dirtbags Academy

 

JCOD recently launched a new partnership with Dirtbags Academy through the JCOD Skills + Experience for the Careers of Tomorrow (SECTOR) program, expanding skilled trades training opportunities for justice-involved individuals. Dirtbags Academy, based in Long Beach, offers a 12-week pre-apprenticeship program designed to equip participants with hands-on experience and skills that can lead to long-term career pathways.

The first cohort includes 19 participants, providing them with hands-on instruction in motorcycle maintenance and repair, fabrication and welding, detailing and coating, print and design, and the manufacturing of specialized parts. In addition to technical instruction, participants take part in daily morning circles that help foster accountability, peer support and community.

Dirtbags Academy also partners with labor unions, refineries, motorcycle parts manufacturers and aluminum manufacturers to help connect participants to employment opportunities in the skilled trades.

Second Chance Month Events and Resources Across LA County

Second Chance Month is in full swing and JCOD has taken part in several events across Los Angeles County focused on connecting justice-impacted individuals and families to information, services and community resources.

The month began on April 6 with a JCOD D.O.O.R.S Antelope Valley pop-up that offered support related to food, housing and workforce development. On April 7, JCOD joined the Clear Skies Ranch Open House at the August House in Reseda, where guests attended a carnival-themed event that featured musical entertainment by participants and farm animals on site.

On April 9, JCOD partnered with the annual California State University, Los Angeles Prison Graduation Initiative event, which brought together community members, partners and advocates for an afternoon of resources. More than 40 resource tables hosted by community-based organizations and LA County agencies were available throughout the day and drew hundreds of attendees.

The evening featured a legislative panel moderated by JCOD Director Judge Songhai Armstead (Ret.), with panelists California State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, film producer Scott Budnick and Doug Bond, president and CEO of Amity Foundation. The discussion focused on justice reform, education in prison, barriers people face after release and ways the public can support second chance efforts.

The event concluded with a screening of The People in Blue at the Luckman Theatre. The documentary was directed by Louis Sále and produced by a crew of incarcerated filmmakers that became featured as a curated selection from the second annual San Quentin Film Festival. The screening marked the first time the film was presented outside of a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facility.

On April 16, JCOD also hosted the JCOD D.O.O.R.S LA Second Chance Month Resource Fair, bringing local community-based organizations together at the D.O.O.R.S office to celebrate the month and connect attendees to resources and community-based support.

JCOD closes out Second Chance Month in Long Beach on April 29 with the Community Empowerment Resource Fair at Long Beach City College from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information on upcoming events, visit the JCOD Events Calendar at jcod.lacounty.gov or follow JCOD on social media @LACJCOD.

To watch highlights from Second Chance Month events across Los Angeles County, visit JCOD’s Second Chance Month YouTube playlist here.

To date, the JCOD Incubation Academy has supported 11 cohorts amounting to 274 organizations (including the current cohort). JCOD’s 249 Incubation Academy alumni have collectively secured more than $125 million in capacity-building grants, County contracts and Care First Community Investment awards.

The Incubation Academy is now accepting applications for Cohort 12 through March 27th.  🔗 Click to apply here.

LA County Board of Supervisors Approves Construction of Warm Landing Place Facility Project

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved the construction of JCOD’s Warm Landing Place Facility Project in coordination with the Department of Public Works.

The future site, located at 955 N. Vignes St. in Downtown Los Angeles, will expand behavioral health infrastructure and create 20 new peer respite beds for individuals in need of stabilization and support.

The project also recently received a conditional state grant award of more than $8.7 million through the California Department of Health Care Services’ Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program Round 2: Unmet Needs.

JCOD’s Warm Landing Place is designed to support justice-impacted individuals returning to community directly from Men’s Central Jail, by connecting them to voluntary supportive services, behavioral health resources and other critical support during a key point in transition. The future facility will build on that work by creating a dedicated space designed to strengthen access to care and longer-term stability.

JCOD extends its appreciation to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for its vision and continued commitment to advancing Care First solutions, and to the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health for its partnership in helping advance the Warm Landing Place Facility Project.

Staff Spotlight

Ronnie Thomas – Division Director, Site-Based Programs

Ronnie Thomas joined JCOD in January 2025 as Justice Division Director of Site-Based Programs bringing nearly 20 years of experience serving Los Angeles County.

Ronnie began his County career while still in high school as a student worker with the LA County District Attorney’s Office (LADA) Hate Crimes Unit. Since then, he has worked with the Department of Mental Health, Department of Public Health, Department of Health Services and Correctional Health Services.

At JCOD, Ronnie oversees site-based programs that provide direct, community-based services to individuals returning home and those navigating the justice system. This includes programs such as JCOD Developing Opportunities and Offering Reentry Solutions (D.O.O.R.S) and the Warm Landing Place, which connect participants to housing, employment services, healthcare and other critical supports.

Ronnie’s work with JCOD was decades in the making. His experience at the LADA’s Office taught him the importance of justice and accountability. Growing up in South LA as the oldest of three brothers also helped shape his leadership style and continues to inform his work today.

“JCOD represents a shift in how Los Angeles County approaches justice and opportunity. For me, the work is deeply personal. I grew up in communities that have historically been impacted by incarceration and systemic inequities, so the opportunity to help shape programs that support people returning home felt like a natural extension of my life’s work.

I have always believed that systems should not only hold people accountable, but also provide real pathways for redemption, stability, and success,” Ronnie shared.

He draws inspiration from writers and leaders like James Baldwin and Marcus Garvey, who spoke about dignity, identity, and the power of self-determination. One of Ronnie’s favorite quotes is from James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Ronnie earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Psychology from the University of Houston and later completed a Master of Public Administration from California State University, Northridge.

Outside of work, Ronnie loves traveling and enjoys staying active through fitness and weight training, which he has done for most of his adult life. He also enjoys spending time with family and reflecting on history, leadership and social change.

Org Spotlight

5-Eleven Hoops

Like many community-based organizations, 5-Eleven Hoops was shaped by a personal journey. For founder Stacy McAlister Jr., that journey began with his son.

“The idea for 5-Eleven Hoops began in 2016 when I was searching for sports programs for my son, who has autism after coaching at a basketball clinic with the Special Olympics in Brunei. I wanted him to have the same opportunities as other kids to enjoy sports, build confidence, and connect with peers. During that search, I realized there were very few programs designed specifically for children with autism, and they were especially scarce in Black and Brown communities,” said Stacy McAlister, Jr., founder of 5-Eleven Hoops.

That same year, 5-Eleven Hoops was officially founded with the goal of creating inclusive basketball and social opportunities for children with autism and other neurodiverse needs. In the 10 years since, 5-Eleven Hoops has grown to also provide camps, STEM activities, soccer, bowling, and a variety of other sports and recreational programs. They also organize community engagement outings and parent support groups to help build connections among families.

Stacy went on to share that funding from JCOD “…has helped us provide equipment, organize programs, and expand opportunities for youth in our community. The support also helped us scale our organization by allowing us to hire additional administrative support, a grant writer, an accountant, and a full-time employee.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of the organization’s work for Stacy and his team is during their annual sports banquet, when they get to see the pure joy on our athletes’ faces when they are presented with trophies and awards.

To learn more about 5-Eleven Hoops, follow them on Instagram @5elevenhoops or visit their website here.