Second Chances Cast a Ripple Effect: How Clean Slate Led Me to a High Honor from the Nation’s First HBCU
Second chances come in many different forms, like forgiveness from a loved one, redemption for a mistake, or another shot at a test that you didn’t do well on, for example. The second chance we talk most about here at The Clean Slate Initiative is record clearance. Last weekend, for me, a second chance — well, really a first! — came in the form of receiving an honorary doctorate degree from Cheyney University, the nation’s first HBCU.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to Cheyney’s commencement ceremony—the same one at which I delivered a commencement speech last year. This time, though, I was invited as someone who would be receiving a degree, too. Cheyney’s leaders chose to honor me with an Honorary Doctor of Public Service in recognition of the work that I’ve done to reform our justice system and deliver second chances.
Holding that degree on stage and speaking to my fellow graduates and their families in the audience felt like a full-circle moment — especially because I was in the state where I was born, and where Clean Slate was “born,” too. There have been times when I’ve faced rejection, judgment, and a society that tries to tell me who I can and cannot be based on my past… and this honor showed me that none of those moments stopped me from fulfilling my potential, doing good work, and accomplishing my goals.
““I’m not accepting this [degree] as the CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative today. I’m accepting this for the Sheena that was a teen mom accepting her diploma in front of her two kids at the age of 18. I’m accepting this degree for the Sheena that was a single mom on government assistance trying to make her way. I’m accepting this degree for the young Sheena that got arrested; when people tried to define me by my record.””
Cheyney is embedded into America’s history, and it’s also part of my own family’s history — some of my family members have graduated from the university. Continuing that legacy and celebrating this milestone alongside my own children was magical.
Second chances, even ones like this, have a unique impact. They benefit more than just the person who receives them. They can create a ripple effect, inspiring others to pursue their own goals, reach for their own second chances, or even get involved in changing their communities and beyond.
Receiving an honorary doctorate from our country’s first HBCU is an immense honor and a deeply humbling moment that symbolizes the collective effort and unwavering commitment of countless individuals who believe in second chances.