Cal State LA’s innovative Prison to Careers Equity Pathway Program is transforming lives and communities, with two alumni now serving in prestigious fellowships at leading justice-focused organizations throughout Los Angeles. 

Jimmie Gilmer and Charlie Praphatananda—graduates of Cal State LA’s Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI)—have begun six-month fellowships with The RightWay Foundation and Arming Minorities Against Addiction & Disease (AMAAD) Institute, respectively.  

Their placements are part of the pathway program that connects formerly incarcerated students with meaningful employment opportunities in community-based organizations focused on equity, healing, and justice. 

“Both graduates are already making such a strong impression that the organizations are expressing interest in hiring them permanently,” said Taffany Lim, executive director of Cal State LA’s Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good.  

The success of the pathway program extends beyond fellowship placements. A member of the first cohort, Casi Amezcua recently secured a full-time position with Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles following his participation in the pathway program. 

The Prison to Careers Equity Pathway Program builds upon the continued success of Cal State LA’s PGI, the first in-person bachelor’s degree completion program for incarcerated students in California. Launched in 2016 at the California State Prison, Los Angeles County in Lancaster, the initiative—supported by the Second Chance Pell federal pilot program and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—offers incarcerated individuals the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. 

This spring, the pathway program welcomed its second cohort, which includes recent PGI alumni Risala Aminifu, Edwin Cruz, and Kunlyna Tauch. They are receiving customized career and professional development assistance through Cal State LA’s Career Center, preparing them for the next stage of their professional journeys. 

The program is funded by a $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, through the Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes program. The grant supports tailored training, mentorship, and job placement for students during incarceration and after release. 

The Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good at Cal State LA partners with regional employers, community organizations, and Los Angeles County to help graduates leverage their academic achievements and lived experiences in service of community transformation. 

About the community organizations where the first cohort is currently working: 

• AMAAD Institute is a South Los Angeles-based organization offering services for LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color, including reentry support, housing, and health education.  

• The RightWay Foundation provides employment and mental health support to transition-age foster youth, with a focus on those impacted by incarceration and trauma. 

• Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing all types of German Shepherd dogs from high-kill shelters and placing them in loving, qualified homes. 

“This program is not just about jobs—it’s about transformation,” Lim added. “It creates opportunity for those who’ve faced systemic barriers and builds pathways for them to thrive and give back to their communities.” 

Photo: Jimmie Gilmer (right), a member of the first cohort of the Prison to Careers Equity Pathway Program, with The RightWay Foundation’s CEO Franco Vega during the foundation’s 3rd Annual Elevation Awards held last month. (Courtesy Jimmie Gilmer)

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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.