The Hustle Hour does business differently. So do you. So join us every third Thursday evening for networking and education that’s out of the ordinary.

Powered by Local First Arizona and hosted by University of Arizona FORGE, the Hustle Hour features a rotating panel of Tucson-based business owners, community leaders, and activists?with the goal of providing access to underrepresented perspectives and approaches in local business.

For April, our panel theme will be Fair Chance Hiring. We’ll discuss (and dispel) misconceptions associated with fair chance hiring, including what happens when candidates who are formerly incarcerated or have other nontraditional backgrounds return to the workforce. Along these lines, we’ll also explore need-to-know information for anyone that is responsible for hiring at their place of work, as well as how they can best support candidates with a conviction or arrest history through all stages of employment.

Joe Watson (Hey Joe Media) will serve as panel moderator, alongside:

• Laura Conover, Pima County Attorney
• Moniqua Lane, Owner of the Downtown Clifton Hotel
• Charles Pyle, Retired Federal Magistrate and Founder of Second Chance Tucson
• Nathan Dixon, Owner of Heroes Carpet Cleaning

Here’s what you need to know:

At 4:30, doors open to the public at FORGE at Roy Place. Arrive before 5:00 for an optional tour of the on-site co-working space. Light refreshments will be provided.

At 5:00, panelists take their seats and the presentation begins. Every panel features a moderator from the community. The discussion itself is collaboratively designed?every time. There will be time for audience questions around 5:45.

 At 6:00, the presentation wraps up. The event relocates to a nearby bar or restaurant (always within walking distance) for the remainder of the evening, where the panelists and event organizers will be available for networking afterward.

With questions about access or to request any disability-related accommodations in this event such as ASL interpreting, closed-captioning, wheelchair access, or electronic text, etc, please contact Carina Enriquez at carinae@arizona.edu.

Wondering about parking downtown? Find directions and parking information here for FORGE at Roy Place.

Who is this event for? Local entrepreneurs, business owners, and serial networkers should find a lot to love here, in addition to those involved with local government, the nonprofit sector, higher education, and so on. Community members or those interested in educational opportunities or meeting new people are also invited. Local First's Tucson-based staff will be on-hand for each event, as well as staff from FORGE and other members of the University of Arizona community.