Larry Miller has experienced the highs and lows of life, from the inside of a prison cell to the boardroom of Jordan Brand. The former president of the Portland Trailblazers was incarcerated at age 16 after being charged with second-degree murder. But after several stints in federal prison, he reformed himself and found his way to excellence in the sports industry. Now, he wants to offer others the same opportunity.
Miller’s atypical story became public in 2022 when he released his book JUMP which detailed his journey from the streets of Philadelphia to the C-Suite. Now he is launching the Justice and Upward Mobility Project (JUMP) to provide education, employment, and economic opportunities to anyone impacted by the justice system.
The JUMP initiative was unveiled in mid-February at a star-studded event that took place alongside the NBA All-Star game festivities. It was developed by and will be run in partnership with The Just Trust, “a catalytic philanthropy that aggregates and deploys resources to justice reform and public safety innovation in the United States.” Ken Oliver, Chief Innovation Officer at Just Trust will be the Managing Director of JUMP. Programming and implementation began in March.
JUMP “aims to leverage the power and influence of sports and entertainment to unlock access to education, employment, and economic mobility for youths and adults impacted by the justice system and seeking a first or second chance.” The project is supported by corporate partners NBCUniversal, Cisco, Jobs for the Future, and the Corporate Coalition of Chicago.
Miller’s new initiative is built on four pillars: education and employment, advocacy and policy, media and narrative, and coalition building. The first pillar focuses on creating workforce development programs that provide opportunities to youths and adults suffering at the hands of the justice system. It will also help them forge relationships with employers in the sports, entertainment, and business sectors.
JUMP will work alongside local, state, and federal policymakers to create new legislation that supports education and workforce development and reduces barriers to employment for people with arrest histories. It will also help foster ecosystems where second chances are given to people with a history of incarceration and combat the negative perception of arrest records by developing new storytelling campaigns.
The program is inspired by Miller’s journey of redemption which saw him go from excellent student, to convict, to successful sports executive. Miller says that during his last stay in prison, he realized he did not want to live that life anymore. Unfortunately, from the inside, he didn’t know how to change his life for the better, until he was offered the opportunity to study.
During his years in prison, Miller completed his GED before receiving his associate’s degree from Montgomery County Community College and later his bachelor’s in accounting from Temple University. He says the education process is what changed his life and allowed him to get on a different path. In his words, “I decided I wasn’t going to serve time, I was going to let time serve me.”
Miller learned his way out of prison and aimed to reenter society by getting an accounting job at one of the major Big Eight firms. However, he found reintegration more difficult than he anticipated.
The Jordan Chairman recalls the interview process at the accounting firm Arthur Andersen. After several rounds of interviews, Miller was about to receive the job offer, but first, he felt he should share his background with the hiring manager. He watched as the blood drained from the hiring manager’s face as he told him of his time in prison. The hiring manager in turn reached into his pocket and held up the offer letter which he said he could no longer give to Miller.
The moment is seared into Miller’s mind and perfectly embodies the struggles people who have served jail time face when attempting to find a second chance. Miller says that at that moment, he felt that “based on my record, society was not going to let me build a career.” Despite that, Miller has built a hugely successful career, working hand-in-hand with sporting industry legends Phil Knight and Michael Jordan.
In the sports industry, Miller found more opportunity than in other circles. He notes that “the sports industry is a little more forgiving and willing to take chances on people,” something that is often seen with athletes with checkered histories. Miller wants to see the sector open its arms to other people in need of second chances.
He says that “sports are an incredible teacher,” and offer people a way to work together towards a common goal. This team-oriented approach is sorely needed in communities around the country and could help people of all backgrounds come together to achieve common objectives.
By forming the JUMP initiative, Miller is tapping into his connections in the sports and entertainment industry to help members of disenfranchised communities around the country get a real shot at a first or second chance. He is also connecting people to an industry that is so often the greatest influence on their lives.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2022, the same year Miller told the world his story, there were 1.2 million incarcerated Americans. 32% of the incarcerated population was black, 23% was Hispanic and 10% multiracial. According to Ken Oliver, “These individuals represent a massive, untapped pool of talent ready to contribute across all sectors of business and industry. JUMP is dedicated to nurturing that potential and breaking down barriers, creating pathways to opportunity that transform lives and strengthen communities.”
For Miller, Oliver, and the rest of the team behind JUMP, this initiative is about providing opportunities to people who have ability but haven’t had a chance to exercise their talents yet. Miller notes that some of the smartest people he ever met, he met in prison, but the reality is those people will never get a chance unless a system that prioritizes punishment is changed into one that prioritizes personal and professional development.
After the release of his book in 2022, the Harvard Business School used Larry Miller’s experiences to launch a case study of the justice system. The results showed that the recidivism rate for people who had gone to prison was 75-77%, with most people ending up back in the prison system within 2 to 3 years. More importantly, the same study showed that the percentage dropped to 33% if inmates were allowed to learn a trade that provides a living wage and it was between 6% and 0% for inmates who got a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
After publishing his story, Miller realized that there are many organizations, including the Just Trust in Philadelphia and Concordance in St. Louis, that are working to reform the criminal justice system and help people re-enter society as contributing members. Partnering with The Just Trust blends justice system reform with his sports industry expertise to create new opportunities for those who may never have had them.
Miller is clear about JUMP’s mission, saying: “This is about creating jobs, and opportunities for people to become contributing members of society.”
Ana Zamora, Founder and CEO of The Just Trust, echoes that sentiment, noting, “We are proud to launch this project with our board member, and hope to soon see a world where people with past criminal records who want to choose a different path can move beyond their worst moments, and meaningfully contribute to the success of their workplace and to their own futures.”