Raymond Flanks was just 20 years old when he was wrongfully incarcerated at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. He spent nearly 40 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit until suppressed evidence came to light and led to an overturned conviction.

“Vindication to Victory” chronicles Raymond’s life from childhood to exoneration and tells the story of how he is charting his path to a brighter future thanks to Thrive New Orleans, in partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation (“GNOF”).

Thrive and GNOF participate in the Jobs for the Future (“JFF”) Quality Green Jobs Regional Challenge, which supports regions across the U.S. to prepare people for good-paying jobs that help safeguard the environment. The Jobs Challenge is expected to prepare and place at least 25,000 people in quality green jobs by 2027.

The Ares Charitable Foundation funds the Jobs Challenge as part of its Climate-Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Tomorrow (“CREST”) initiative. Launched on Earth Day 2022, CREST is helping close the gap between employers’ demand for a skilled green workforce and the number of people prepared for these opportunities.