Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change

Tyrone Muhammad, Founder and Executive Director

Ex-Cons are partly to blame for the gangs, drugs, and violence that have ravaged communities of color. Repaying our debt to society does not end upon being released from prison. We have an important role to play in the rebuilding of our communities.—Tyrone Muhammad, Founder and Executive Director

Tyrone Muhammad was incarcerated for 21 years. While inside, he witnessed other inmates being released only to later return to the same prison. Tired of witnessing the recidivism,

Tyrone fashioned ECCSC to combat this issue. Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change challenges ex-offenders to be more and do more by continuing their rehabilitation through community service and becoming productive members of society.

No other group of individuals bears more responsibility to effect change in our communities than those who helped to destroy them.—Tyrone Muhammad

The current state of crime and violence can be viewed as “a style” made popular by peer pressure, social media, bad examples, and miseducation. Poverty, unemployment and mental health issues also contribute to this unchecked perpetuation of gangs, drugs, and violence.

ECCSC has created collaborative networks of law enforcement, school officials, business owners, and community stakeholders. Conflict resolution is a core pillar of community service and creating a culture of civic engagement precedes conflict resolution. We at ECCSC view this as People Saving (PS), a particular approach that handles each person and community from their own unique culture and/or mental paradigm.

Our plan of action for reducing violence involves personal engagement with those individuals who see the “blocks” as their territory. We use a culturally specific process that involves hand-to-hand, face-to-face mediation of each “clique” and/or autonomous sub-group, creating a climate of trust and open dialogue.

ECCSC and its coalition of civic, social, and business partnerships are engaged with hundreds of formerly incarcerated individuals who are committed to serving our communities. Our knowledge in mediation and violence de-escalation gives us an upper hand on the current “trend” of violence.

Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change has proven to be a significant force in effective change.

On July 8, 2020, ECCSC held our first site visit at our new facility located at 610 West Root Street, Chicago, IL 60609.

We were joined by elected officials, community, and business leaders. New partnerships were formed and we are currently making plans for a full build-out.

Since then, we have acquired several Community Response vehicles, Power Construction donated five HP laptops, Natalie Pedraza and McHugh Construction donated eight laptops, and Hire 360 donated a Dremel 3D Printer from BOSCH Tools to ECCSC.

We appreciate all the contributions, partnerships, and supporters in the community.

We are here to serve.

We are Community Servants.

ECCSC.org