Charles C. Moore

I began working for the Department of Corrections in 1992. As I reflect back on what I was thinking as a brand new correctional officer, I remember pondering on what the best course of action was toward obtaining upward mobility. I have never been the type of person that was content with obtaining the same position throughout one’s career, I have always wanted more. Essentially, I have always wanted to position myself to a level where my family would reap many benefits in more ways than one.

 One of the things that attracted me to Association of Black Correctional Workers (ABCW) is the professionalism of its members. I noticed that Correctional Officers, Medical Technical Assistants, Business Service Managers, Captains, Correctional Counselors I & II, Associate Wardens, Wardens, Parole Agent I, II and III and Regional Administrators were involved in this organization. I was very interested in becoming a member until I went to my very first meeting and witnessed a chapter chairperson and a member behaving inappropriately. I became very disillusioned and wandered if I should really join the organization. Several days following that meeting, I ran into one of my high school classmates who invited me to the Annual Training Conference given by the ABCW. I decided to go and the rest is history. The training conference was the most fulfilling event I had ever attended. I could not believe the variety of ethnic backgrounds in attendance as well as the Director of Corrections being one of the keynote speakers. The training was phenomenal. The networking was unbelievable and the Black and Gold Ball was the icing on the cake. 

As the newly elected state-wide president, I envision helping our organization achieve monumental strides towards the encouragement of upward mobility by providing more chapters that will in turn provide more local training workshops. Ways of conducting business has changed since I originally joined ABCW and having a paid official spokesperson is one of the advantages of accomplishing our goals. As we endeavor to elevate our organization through participating in more training workshops, we have also established a national youth group called Continuing The Dream. This organization will enhance our community relations effort with school age students and inform them of career opportunities with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and a Drug Crime Deterrence Program that will educate them about the dangers of drugs and the potentially damaging effect it will have on their future. As the baton has been passed on to me, I would like to position our organization to a level of commitment to training that all other organizations will emulate.