NEXT COHORT COMING SOON!
Our Mission
Our mission is to place returning citizens in a position of sustainable employment, reducing their chance of recidivism.
Our Team
Christopher Ervin - President/Founder
The Lazarus Rite, Inc. was founded by Christopher Ervin, building on an operational model from his experience in sports and the military -- where individuals understand their roles, capabilities and responsibility for individual achievement and group success. Mr. Ervin studied Social Science at Coppin State and Criminal Law at the University of Maryland College Park. He is well known throughout the State of Maryland for his expertise on the subject matter of criminal justice reform and has worked tirelessly on quality of life issues impacting youth and families, seniors and the developmentally disabled, specifically the restoration of rights to those formerly incarcerated.
A Message from the President
“The Lazarus Rite was created to address the very intentional, policy protected intention to legally marginalize and thus relegate predominantly Black people, to servitude. “In other words, as long as punishment for crime, slavery and involuntary servitude is back in play, we at The Lazarus Rite, will train people for an economic opportunity to lift them out of a perpetual state of low income servitude. This is how we will bring Baltimore back.”
Wanda R. Ascencio, Vice President
Wanda Ascencio is the Vice President of the Lazarus Rite Inc. Ms. Ascencio holds a degree in Accounting with a concentration in Taxation. She has held various positions in the Banking industry and Accounting field since 1987 in the New York City metro area. A Harlem/Bronx native, she served as a mentor in the NYC Public Schools system, lead book and food drives for NYC organizations, and was the lead organizer for a youth summer basketball league for several years. Soon after relocating to Baltimore, MD in 2014, she dedicated herself to building the Lazarus Rite Inc. to a solid re-entry organization for returning citizens, along with her long-time friend Christopher Ervin. Her vision is to see every person who steps through the door of the Lazarus Rite receive every opportunity, every resource, in rebuilding a better life for themselves, their families and their communities. In her spare time, she combines her love of running by participating in charity races for organizations such as Feed America, Back on My Feet. SENSE and Team for Kids. Annually, she volunteers as a run partner for Girls on the Run organization and is on the Board for a locally run triathlon club in the Baltimore Area.