http://www.berkeleyside.com/2017/10/30/oakland-zys-hire-ex-offenders/
Oakland restaurant Zys will hire ex-offenders looking to make a change
Cirrus Wood, Berkeleyside
Published 4:51 pm PDT, Monday, October 30, 2017
Entrepreneur Zorina Price is opening Zys_Oakland, a vegetarian restaurant that will staff ex-offenders.
Zorina Price believes in second chances. It's why she's launching Zys_Oakland (pronounced: "Zee's Oakland") an upscale vegetarian restaurant in downtown Oakland staffed primarily by the formerly incarcerated.
"I personally have worked among people who have a criminal record," said Price. The memory is one of pride but also pain. Price had been managing an independent food service provider in New York when the business was bought out by a larger corporation. The new owners required background checks of all employees. When it came to light that one of the staff had a criminal record, Price was forced to fire him. She found out that the employee was unable to find a new job because of his record, and later, returned to jail.
"I felt that was unjust," she said. "When you serve your time, your time is done. If you're willing to move forward and be a more productive member of your community then I feel that you should be given that chance."
Read the full story on Berkeleyside.