Second Chance Studios Graduates First Class of Formerly Incarcerated Fellows, Partnering with MTV Entertainment Group to Launch Media Careers

The nonprofit digital media company is funneling its trained Fellowship participants into full-time production roles. 

NEW YORK, April 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Second Chance Studios (SCS), a nonprofit digital media company that trains and employs formerly incarcerated individuals, today announced the completion of its first-ever Digital Media Fellowship Program and partnership with MTV Entertainment Group to facilitate second chance hiring. MTV Entertainment will welcome three graduates from SCS' six-month fellowship program to their teams in May.

After successfully hosting their initial Fellowship, Second Chance Studios – the first-of-its-kind venture in the U.S. – aims to become the preeminent digital media training ground for formerly incarcerated individuals. Partners like MTV Entertainment Group are essential to SCS' model built on three pillars: experiential learning, curated mentorship, and job placement. In the program Fellows participated in learning sessions targeting life, soft, professional, and technical skills and applied them by creating video and audio content for their own projects and clients. They are eager to build on their skills and tell stories that inspire at MTV Entertainment.

To celebrate the culmination of its pilot, SCS will host its inaugural graduation fundraiser on Saturday, April 30th. Tickets are available and funds will go towards growing the program.

"The goal of this unique fellowship is to restore dignity and economic empowerment to the talented people we train at Second Chance Studios. We're excited to be delivering on that goal today," said Lajuanda M. Asemota, SCS CEO & Cofounder. "Our Fellows are eager to change their lives and shape the stories of our time. With this partnership, MTV Entertainment Group has shown there are media companies ready to stand for diversity, equity, and inclusion and open doors for second chances."

"We are thrilled to work together with Second Chance Studios to use our platform to enable their graduates as they begin a new professional journey within the Marketing Department at MTV Entertainment Group," said Amy Campbell, Marketing EVP at MTV Entertainment Group.

Second Chance Studios and MTV Entertainment Group are united in efforts to promote authentic storytelling and lift up marginalized voices at the highest level in media. After a wave of commitments from major media companies in the wake of outcries for racial justice in 2020, MTV Entertainment Group is taking concrete strides to diversify its teams while reaching an untapped talent pool. Second Chance Studios will continue to build on their program to ensure more system-impacted people can break into the industry. 

For more information on how you can support SCS, please visit secondchancestudios.org.

Second Chance Studios is a nonprofit digital media company that trains and employs formerly incarcerated individuals. The program is built on three pillars: experiential learning, mentorship, and job placement, and the studio provides services for original content creation, video production, podcast recording, and digital advertising. The organization leverages the explosive growth in the new media industry to bring economic empowerment to returning citizens, their families, and communities. For more information about Second Chance Studios, please visit secondchancestudios.org.

SOURCE Second Chance Studios