About Us
Our Mission & Vision
Operation Amani provides a place of hope, healing, training, and support to the formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated populations. The blueprint of our organization is based on the 30-year-old, Los Angeles-based, largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world named Homeboy Industries.
Operation Amani aims to overcome many of the challenges of gun violence prevention, recidivism, and the effects of trauma. Our acting principles are anchored in a model of HOPE: Health and well-being that build resilience, Opportunity: social and economic, Place Making: resources and housing; and Engaging those in the community who can influence behavior change and cultural norms. Through community, family, and faith collaborations, we believe that one can overcome life’s obstacles and accomplish holistic healing.
WXCN Power was created from the vision and love of music of founder Rev. Cornell Jones while working in the prison system for over 10 years. While working as a chaplain in prison, Rev. Jones discovered the lack of available resources and support for people released from incarceration and their families. WXCN Power was created to train returning citizens with communication, sales, and business skills to empower them to grow in their purpose.
This station is a platform that encourages the second-chance community, and the community at large, to get involved in issues such as mass incarceration, community violence, and recidivism. Through radio and social media, WXCN Power teaches empowerment, media development classes, and creating podcasts, film documentaries, and other projects. WXCN Power creates a platform for returning citizens to share valuable information with not just families and returning citizens but with the general public to increase awareness of social justice, equality, and anti-oppression on a national level.
Click here to learn more about WXCN Power
Our Strategy To Give Hope, Purpose and Stability
At Operation Amani we offer various services to combat the many challenges of societal re-entry for the formerly incarcerated population such as Mental health and Substance abuse, Divided families, External gang affiliations, Legal issues, Secure housing, Societal, and social barriers, and Lack of job and life skills.
According to PrisonLegalNews.org, “…80 to 90% of employers said they would hire “former welfare recipients, workers with little recent work experience or lengthy unemployment, and other stigmatizing characteristics,” but only around 40% said they would consider hiring job applicants with criminal histories. Even fewer would consider ex-offenders for jobs involving customer service or handling money.” Our goal is to greatly increase the opportunities for returning citizens and provide hope, purpose, and stability to this valuable population re-entering society through our trauma-informed foundational services that include: (1) Case Management – Individual Hope Plan, (2) Free Tattoo Removal, (3) Workforce Development, (4) Social Ventures, (5) Community Service, (6) Mentoring, (7) Support Groups, (8) Therapy Services, and a (9) Free Law Clinic.
The Population and/or Community We are Seeking to Serve
Operation Amani serves Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and State-wide Correctional Facilities in Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. We assist Offenders and repeat offenders of various crimes, and those affiliated with groups (gangs) who have been released or will soon be released from incarceration. In our program, we seek those who (a) have been incarcerated but are seeking a second chance, (b) who have engaged in group (gang) violence and want out, and (c) who will benefit from gun violence interrupters’ knowledge, trauma healing, and strategies to combat recidivism.
Accomplishments We are Most Proud Of
Our biggest success stories have been in schools, communities, prisons, individuals, and families. We offer programs in schools to reduce “skipping classes”, increase class participation, and exercise skills to become student-leaders. Along with our team of ex-offenders, we continue to encourage the community to vote with our “Vote Like A Boss” national campaign. We collaborate with local agencies like the Neighborhood Resilience Project Strategic Partner, which is part of the NRP’s Public Health Collaborative to heal our community. The Public Health Collaborative includes NRP’s Free Health Clinic, the Trauma Response Team initiated by Allegheny County’s Gun Violence Intervention Program, Gun Violence Interruption, Operation Amani, and the School Backpack Feeding Program. Our collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh is in an effort of promoting peace through the annual We Are The Village peace walk and rally.
