Statement from Clean Slate Initiative Regarding Chauvin Verdict

The following statement can be attributed to Sheena Meade, managing director of the Clean Slate Initiative, in response to the verdict that Derek Chauvin was found guilty for the murder of George Floyd.

“At the Clean Slate Initiative, we stand with Black, indigenous, people of color and all of those oppressed, and all those suffering the dire consequences of systemic racism and marginalization in America. We are praying for the family of George Floyd, the many people who have lost loved ones to police violence, and for all of the communities left reeling as we witness continual criminalization and brutalization of Black bodies.

“Dignity and security are basic human rights. Whatever our race, background or ZIP code, we all deserve to move through our communities without fearing for our lives or the lives of our loved ones. Criminalization, police brutality and misconduct hurt us all, whether we have been personally touched by it or not. May our nation finally begin to heal and move forward together.”

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About Clean Slate Initiative

The Clean Slate Initiative is a bipartisan national movement to automate the clearing of criminal records that block second chances for tens of millions of Americans. Following decades of overcriminalization, 70 - 100 million people in America have some type of record — and nearly half of all children in America have a parent with a record. In the digital era, with 94% of employers now using background checks, any record — no matter how old or minor — can be a life sentence to poverty.