Newsletter Vol. 6 No. 10

December 2024

Season’s Greetings and a Happy New Year from Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity!

Everyone here at PLSE sends our warmest holiday greetings to all our friends and supporters, both near and far. For many, the holidays are a time of hope and expectation, a feeling which especially resonates with our clients whose hope for a brighter future inspires each of us to continue our work. For each of you, may this holiday season be filled with joy, laughter, and renewal.

PLSE staff and volunteers at Father's Day Rally Committee.

On Saturday, December 7, PLSE hosted a record clearing clinic in collaboration with the Father’s Day Rally Committee and The Promise. The clinic was held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center and dozens braved the cold and came out to meet with a PLSE representative, review their publicly available criminal record, and begin the record clearing process by completing an intake form. Thank you to Mr. Bilal Qayyum and everyone at the Father’s Day Rally Committee, to the staff of the MLK, Jr. Rec Center, and to everyone at The Promise for making this clinic possible.

Lisa Baker (R-20th District)

Zach Keasling (Pardon Fellow, Cumberland County)

The Pardon Project Steering Committee (PPSC) began in a conference room in 2018; today it is a statewide force for community education and systemic change. Its members are people with lived experience in the criminal justice system, either directly or through a close family member. The end of the year saw its members give, and receive, several awards.

In 2022, the PPSC established The Rev. Michelle Simmons Excellence in Advocacy Award for people who have been exceptional advocates for second chances. This year, it presented two: 

1. State Senator Lisa Baker (R-20th District) for “using her position of immense responsibility as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee to hear those entirely without political voice and provide for the automatic expungement of pardoned crimes.” The Award was presented by her constituent Tom Cook (Pardon Fellow, Lackawanna County) and award-winning filmmaker Shuja Moore.
2. PPSC Member Zach Keasling (Pardon Fellow, Cumberland County) for “his imagination, creativity and endless energy in developing new ways to spread the good news about pardons to so many, with optimism and without judgment, keeping hope alive.” The Award was presented by Antonio Howard (Pardon Fellow, Erie County) and Tobey Oxholm (Founder of the Pardon Project).

PPSC Member Jeremy Oester (Somerset County)

PPSC Member Shuja Moore (Philadelphia)

PPSC Member Jeremy Oester (Somerset County) was honored by the Community Action Agencies of PA with their “Empowerment Navigator Award” for his “ability to inspire clients to reach their goals, dedication to valuing diversity, and impactful approach to mentorship and leadership within [his] organization.”

PPSC Member Shuja Moore (Philadelphia) received even more invitations to film festivals and honors for his film Pardon Me including:

1. The Micheaux Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA) 
2. International Social Change Film Festival (Chicago, IL) 
3. Rooted in Justice Film Festival (Philadelphia, PA)
4. NewFilmmakers LA Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA)
5. Pottstown Film Festival (Pottstown, PA) – where it won the award for Best Short Documentary

Click here for a full list of Awards it has received and to arrange a screening of the film.

And, incoming state Attorney General David Sunday, who co-hosted a screening of the film in York, PA, has accepted the PPSC’s invitation to meet so they can share ideas and matters of concern involving the Board of Pardons which he joins as a member in January.



Kudos on a great end of 2024 and a great start to 2025!

Due to the overwhelming success of our community engagement and record clearing clinics, we will be closing new client intake until April 1, 2025. This will enable us to devote our time to serving our existing clients. As we transition to new leadership, we are focusing on strengthening and expediting our existing programs and ensuring we continue to provide the highest quality and most timely service possible to our clients and community partners. While we are not accepting new clients or requests for clinics during this period, we remain committed to supporting those currently in our programs and to honoring our commitment to community partners with whom we have previously scheduled record clearing clinics. We appreciate your understanding and continued support as we work to enhance our impact. We look forward to resuming intake in spring 2025.



Thank you for your cooperation and support!

At its October Public Hearings, the Board of Pardons heard 176 pardon applications (including 42 that were excused) and recommended 138 of them – a success rate of 78.4%. We are delighted to report that all 11 of PLSE’s clients received positive votes and are now being recommended for a pardon!

The total pardon cases heard by the BOP at a public hearing this year was 596 and 81.5% (486) of them were recommended to the Governor. Congratulations to the PLSE clients who worked extremely hard throughout the pardon process on their success.

As reported in the Wall Street Journal and other publications, President Biden has announced the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history. Thousands of lives remain in limbo due to outdated marijuana convictions. Clemency isn’t just about justice; it’s about rebuilding lives and correcting the wrongs of the past. The largest single-day act of clemency is notable - and the work is not done. PLSE continues to take bold steps toward fairness and equity and works to address the urgent need for change.

Half of clemency recommendations remain unsigned under Governor Shapiro’s administration, leaving many Pennsylvanians waiting for second chances that could open doors to jobs, housing, and brighter futures. Read the full story from Spotlight PA here.

Clemency isn’t just a legal decision—it’s a pathway to justice and redemption for those who have worked hard to rebuild their lives. Let’s continue the conversation about how pardons can make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.