{"id":13088,"date":"2025-07-08T15:08:36","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T20:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/empowermissouri.org\/?p=13088"},"modified":"2025-07-31T23:38:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T04:38:18","slug":"lessons-from-the-2025-clean-slate-initiative-convening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/empowermissouri.org\/es\/lessons-from-the-2025-clean-slate-initiative-convening\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons from the 2025 Clean Slate Initiative Convening"},"content":{"rendered":"

I traveled as a first-time attendee to the Clean Slate Initiative annual convening in Chicago earlier this month. The convening celebrated the 5th year anniversary for the Clean Slate Initiative launch. The Clean Slate Initiative, a national advocacy organization, is working across the country to pass and implement laws that automate record sealing for people with eligible records who have completed their sentence and remained crime-free, and to expand who is eligible for sealing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the past three years, Empower Missouri and our partners have worked on Clean Slate legislation to allow Missourians a second chance. This last legislative session Representative Bishop Davidson\u2019s bill, HB 953, advanced further than any previous efforts. This is a steppingstone for passing Clean Slate next session. Being new in my role, I learned quickly about the impact Clean Slate will have on our state. That same thought came again at the convening. I shared space with many advocates, directly impacted people, and policy directors that have worked on similar bills in their states for years. The lessons learned from the convening provided me with important themes to help advance Clean Slate legislation in Missouri. There was a lot to take away from this convening but some topics that stood out to me were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt will happen; just keep pushing\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, there are 12 states that have passed Clean Slate. <\/strong>Some of these states passed it when it was first introduced while others took years for it to pass.\u00a0 I know many Clean Slate supporters were discouraged after our bill failed to pass this year. It was clear at the convening that Missouri\u2019s experience is not unique. This has been happening in many other states across the country. Hearing directly from impacted individuals reminded me why we cannot give up in this fight. I sat beside many formerly incarcerated individuals who spoke of their twenty or more years spent behind bars. They also spoke of who they are now, how their life has changed since they have been released, and the advocacy they do for others. One speaker told us about their journey and ended with encouraging words, \u201cIt will happen; just keep pushing.\u201d That really resonated with me thinking of the upcoming legislative session. We must keep pushing to pass Clean Slate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winning the Narrative <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most impactful sessions I attended was \u201cWinning the Narrative,\u201d which focused on messaging, openness and transparency, and the stories of those who have been impacted. Here are three takeaways that will help our messaging in Missouri: <\/p>\n\n\n\n