Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 4

Spring 2025 Edition

Spring is a season of renewal, and at Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE), it’s also a time to celebrate transformation. Every day, our clients work to overcome the barriers imposed by their pasts in order to make the best of the present —finding jobs, securing housing, and contributing fully to their communities. This newsletter highlights their journeys, showcasing the power of second chances made possible through record clearing and legal advocacy. These are not just stories of legal victories—they’re stories of dignity restored, hope renewed, and lives forever changed.

As you read about the remarkable progress our clients have made, know that your support is what makes these stories possible. Whether you’ve volunteered your time, shared our mission, or made a financial gift, you’ve helped unlock opportunity for those too often left behind by the justice system. This Spring, we invite you to continue standing with us—to celebrate these successes, and to invest in the many more still to come.

In order to protect the identities of our clients, names and some details of their stories have been changed or omitted.

Thanks to the help of volunteer Pardon Coaches Helen Santoro and Francis Rizzo (attorneys at Dechert LLP), PLSE client Tanya submitted her pardon application on September 11, 2020. She was seeking forgiveness for two crimes: attempted theft (2004) and reckless endangerment (2009). “I have changed as a person and so has my life,” she wrote in her statement. “I surround myself now with positive influences which have allowed me to learn. I work full time and take care of my kids. I attend church regularly with my family. My faith keeps my life on track now.” 

After witnessing the near death of her son in 2006 from juvenile congenital heart failure, and a six-month hospital stay at his bedside, Ms. Burrell realized her calling was to help people like the nurses who helped her son in the hospital. She worked hard and in 2007 she became a certified nurse assistant. Since then, she has dedicated her career to taking care of the elderly, but she wanted a pardon so that she could “continue my school work and pursue a nursing degree and license.” Ms. Burrell had fully completed her sentence, paid all legal financial obligations, and never got into trouble again (not even a speeding ticket), so we were all confident of success. She had her pardon hearing in June of 2023 and was denied by a vote of 2-3. She was devastated, of course, as were we all. 

Together, we decided not to go down without a fight. Her Pardon Coaches reached out to Jack Stollsteimer, the District Attorney for Delaware County where the crimes had occurred, and asked for his help. Convinced that a meeting in person would be most beneficial, we persuaded Ms. Burrell to fly up from Florida. Jack met with her, listened to her story and agreed to support her request for reconsideration, writing a very strong letter of support. He went so far as to show up for the hearing, unshaken in his support despite aggressive questioning by the Board. 

Jack made all the difference. The Board agreed to reconsider its earlier denial and then, on February 23, 2024, reversed its decision and voted 3-2 to recommend her! It’s easy to imagine the excitement and joy … and how, after waiting month after month after month with no decision, it all turned to anxiety, to worry, and to grief as we imagined the worst. Her coaches kept telling her not to lose faith. Almost eight months later there was still no word from the Board of Pardons so her coaches worked with Ms. Burrell to reach out to Pennsylvania Speaker Joanna McClinton for her assistance. In October of 2024, Speaker McClinton wrote a compelling letter to the Governor recognizing his commitment to “ensuring that we have a criminal justice system in Pennsylvania that offers a route for redemption and personal growth” and urging him to sign the pardon.

And then, the letter arrived, confirming that Governor Shapiro had signed her pardon on March 31, 2025. She’s now received the pardon and is applying to nursing schools so she can start next fall! Her first words to us upon receiving the signed pardon really said it all. “Thank you for not allowing me to give up when I got frustrated, it was definitely worth it. I’m finally a free woman and now I can live.”

(Senator Patty Kim and PPSC Chair, Zach Keasling)

Over the past two years, a powerful partnership has formed between Senator Patty Kim and the Pardon Project Steering Committee (PPSC), championing the cause of second chances across central Pennsylvania. Thanks to the groundwork laid by PPSC Chair Zach Keasling and a strong collaboration with then-State Representative Kim’s office, the movement for pardons has gained vital momentum in the heart of the Commonwealth’s capital.

Key figures like Angel Fox, Senator Kim’s Chief of Staff, have been instrumental in spreading the message that a pardon is possible for those willing to take a leap of faith. Angel and her team have consistently supported individuals who walk through their doors, offering encouragement and guidance on how to clear their records, whether through expungements or pardons.

That spirit of service was on full display on Saturday, April 26, when Senator Kim, Angel Fox, and Zach Keasling were joined by Pennsylvania Board of Pardons Secretary Shelly Watson at a Pardon Expo and Job Fair hosted at the 6th Street YMCA in Harrisburg. Secretary Watson — who embodies the passion and dedication driving change within our state government — and members of her team took time out of their weekend to personally connect with local residents and share critical information about the pardon process.

Events like these demonstrate the transformative power of record-clearing — not only in revitalizing communities but also restoring hope to individuals who have long carried the burden of their past mistakes.

Want to bring this message of hope and opportunity to your own community? The PPSC is here to help. Contact us at PPSC@PLSEphilly.org for assistance in introducing your State Senator or Representative to the life-changing impact pardons can have.

By Danea Banks

Danea serves on the Pardon Project Steering Committee

and was a PLSE Mike Lee Fellow from 2022 to 2023.

In February 1992 an idealistic 24 year-old set out to make a difference in her community by founding a nonprofit focused on building affordable housing in Philadelphia. With financial support from close friends, she purchased vacant land from the city through her newly founded organization. At closing, she learned that since the nonprofit held the title to the land, it couldn’t repay the investors—let alone offer any return.

Wanting to make things right, because that’s the kind of person she has always strived to be, she added her friends’ names to the deed. She had no idea that this act of good faith would trigger a silent storm—one that would follow her for decades. That decision she made with zero malicious intent resulted in a conviction of forgery. It became her first and only encounter with the criminal justice system, closing the door on her dreams of development and nonprofit leadership.

In 2021, she applied for a pardon—not just to work again, but to care for her aging parents, her brother with a brain injury, and her disabled husband. Her record blocked her from serving as a guardian or being paid to provide home care for those she loves most.

It took her two long years just to reach the “Present Status Interview,” which eventually led to her public hearing. The Board of Pardons recommended her for clemency in November 2023, but her case then sat on the Governor’s desk for months. The pardon was finally signed in December 2024—nearly three years after she applied. And while her conviction has now been automatically expunged by the courts, she has been told by the Pennsylvania State Police it may still take another 6–9 months before her record is truly cleared.

As happy of an ending as this is for both she and her family and all of us who support her incredible spirit, her story highlights the urgent need to improve Pennsylvania’s pardon system. Shorter wait times, quicker action from the Governor, and a broader embrace of pardons as a true off-ramp from the criminal justice system are all needed. And they require people like you—engaged citizens and advocates—to help make that vision a reality for the many still waiting for their second chance. A wait that has only grown longer with time.

If you live anywhere near Philadelphia, you know DC33. Representing over 9,000 municipal workers, from sanitation workers and 911 operators to library employees, it’s Philly’s largest union for city workers. Outside of work, they’re just like families all across the state – fighting inflation, living on the economic edge and struggling to get by, and often dealing with the consequences of drugs and the opioid epidemic. A criminal record can keep a whole family down.

What could be better than having one of their major leaders stand up and say, “I was a felon. But not anymore! I’ve gotten my pardon, and so can you!” That’s just what Ernest Garrett is saying today, giving hope to all who can hear him.

He was convicted of a felony back when he was 20. He was 53 when he applied for a pardon. And on December 20, 2024, Governor Shapiro signed it.

“I worked most of my adult life with DC33 at the City Water Department,” he told us recently. “My union saved me. It looked beyond my conviction and gave me the career I needed. I worked hard, worked my way up and was privileged to serve as its President. But outside of work, I wasn’t free. I couldn’t do things I wanted to do in my community or with my family, especially at school with my kids.”

“I had heard of a pardon, you know,” he continued, “but I knew they were not for people like me. PLSE inspired me to give it a shot. They helped me every step of the way. And now I am a living example, for all of my brothers and sisters, that pardons ARE for us. YES THEY ARE!”

Just imagine you have a family to support and are stuck in a minimum wage job, but you cannot get a better one because of what you did years ago when you were a different person. You’ve changed! You hear about pardons and for once you actually have HOPE! And then you hear it takes six years to get your hearing. Why bother, right?

With 2,000 pardon applications coming in each year, the Board of Pardons is sticking to the same number of hearing days it held before the surge started: just 9 per year. That’s not enough. 

Want to help? It’s easy! Sign this letter to your elected representatives in Harrisburg and then forward it to all your friends and work colleagues. Together we CAN change the system!

This week, Metro Philadelphia highlighted the crucial work being done to support the reentry of formerly incarcerated Philadelphians. The piece explores the significance of fair chance hiring policies and the potential impact of proposed amendments aimed at strengthening these crucial safeguards. At PLSE, we firmly believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to contribute to our community. These policies are vital for fostering true social equity and reducing recidivism.

We encourage you to read the full article to gain a deeper understanding of this critical issue and the steps being taken in Philadelphia. Your support enables us to continue advocating for systemic change and providing direct legal services to individuals navigating the challenges of reentry.

(PLSE Executive Director Taylor Pacheco speaking to attendees at Grace Baptist Church for a"Know your Rights" training)

(From L-R: Patrick Keough - Program Director at PLSE, Larry Krasner - Philadelphia District Attorney, Kenyatta Johnson - City Council President)

In April and May, PLSE continued its work in the community by partnering with various community partners to educate Philadelphians with criminal records about their rights and record clearing options!

On April 16th, PLSE Executive Director Taylor Pacheco conducted a “Know your Rights” Training in collaboration with the office of Rep. Chris Rabb at Grace Baptist Church in Germantown. Thank you to Rep. Rabb and his staff, as well as Representatives Anthony Bellmon, Tarik Khan, Darisha Parker, and Andre Carroll for co-hosting.

On May 3rd, in collaboration with the office of City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, The Promise, and Unity in the Community, PLSE helped staff a very well attended record clearing clinic in South Philadelphia. In addition to PLSE team members, volunteers from Community Legal Services and The Defenders Association assisted with the event. In addition to record clearing services, participants heard words of support from Council President Johnson and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.