At that most recent Merit Review, 215 people from across the commonwealth had their pardon applications reviewed and, by our count, 170 of them (79.1%) were granted hearings. That’s pretty consistent with the percentage over the past five years. But we are excited to announce that a record number of 37 PLSE clients were considered at this stager and 32 (86.5%) of them were granted hearings! Hooray! Now they must wait for their second hearing, and the hope is their cases are heard during the Board’s upcoming hearings in October, the last which are scheduled for 2025. 

One additional fact: 21 of our clients and another 96 others—117 in total—received unanimous recommendations (5 out of 5 votes), demonstrating their exceptional merit. Why, then, is a second hearing necessary when only three votes are required to secure the Governor’s approval? We once again urge the Board of Pardons to revise its procedures so that all candidates who receive their unanimous 5-vote approvals at the Merit Review are expedited to the Governor’s desk without further delay. This measure would not only alleviate the burden on the hearing docket, but also enable a significantly larger number of candidates to have their applications reviewed.

The Board of Pardons is significantly lagging behind. Last week, they reviewed 215 candidates, adding to the 212 reviewed in April and the 218 reviewed last December, totaling only 645. This is in stark contrast to the over 2,000 pardon applications filed annually, leading to a rapidly growing backlog. The solution seems straightforward: the Board should conduct more hearings and approve more deserving candidates. So, what’s happening?

Thanks to a grant from The Philadelphia Foundation, the Pardon Project Steering Committee is now working with elected officials and community, civic and faith leaders across the commonwealth to schedule 20 more screenings before the end of the year. If you are willing to help involve your local State Representative or Senator, or help arrange a screening in your area, send an email to ppsc@pardonmepa.org! Help us spread the good news to the people who deserve to hear it most!

In regard to her new position, Anna said “I am honored by this warm welcome and eager to assume the role of Secretary for the Pardon Project Steering Committee… It has been a privilege to be an integral part of this inspiring movement over the past few years, and I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact that second chances can have. I am confident that I will support the remarkable work being accomplished across the commonwealth and contribute to amplifying the voices and narratives that continue to propel this project forward.”

Welcome to the team, Anna!

My pardon journey started in 2022, when my family and I decided I should seek a pardon from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office after years of living under the stigma of criminal convictions from a 2007 arrest. The judge from my case even supported my receiving a pardon.

The years after my convictions were marked by navigating the invisible minefield of “collateral consequences.” Things as simple as traveling, adopting a pet, or working at a cardboard factory would prove virtually impossible. I drifted between low-paying jobs, enduring countless interviews where I was forced to relive my past in front of strangers who had no interest in hiring me. Each rejection cut deeper, leaving me with hives, anxiety, and the crushing weight of hopelessness. The repeating cycle of rejection, despair, and recovery grew, with each failure, more reminiscent of Sisyphus pushing his boulder up a mountain. Yet through the shame, depression, and self-loathing, one desire kept me moving: the need to help others. Finding opportunities to do so was an uphill battle until I discovered the Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) and their Pardon Project.

For the first time in years, I experienced genuine empathy. The compassion I found at PLSE became the cornerstone of my resilience. Helping others as a peer gave me purpose, and slowly, I began to heal. I eventually adopted a mantra mentioned during a Pardon Project Steering Committee meeting: Keep Hope Alive.

By 2025, I had become Chair of the Pardon Project Steering Committee and was working for PLSE as a Grant Assistant, fighting for funding to sustain their efforts in Philadelphia. Since beginning my pardon journey in 2022, I have experienced several moments I will always cherish. I was honored to receive the Rev. Michelle Excellence in Advocacy Award alongside PA Senator Lisa Baker. I stood beside Secretary Watson from the Board of Pardons at a pardon clinic hosted by PA Senator Patty Kim, serving as a peer-support representative for community members seeking clemency. I met and spoke with lawmakers in Harrisburg about the importance of clemency for those involved in the justice system. I also joined statewide advocacy efforts aimed at improving the pardon process. If I had not taken those first steps once more up the seemingly insurmountable mountain of despair, I would have missed out on these incredible experiences that restored my sense of worth and purpose.

On August 7, 2025, during my Merit Review, the Board of Pardons voted on whether my case would advance to a public hearing. I received zero votes out of five. I was disappointed, but I remained standing, proud of what I had overcome. I believe Douglas Adams best captured how I felt in that moment when he said, “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I have ended up where I needed to be.”

The journey, not the pardon, was the real gift. It is my testament that even if clemency never comes, the process can be transformative. I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support of my family, friends, and colleagues. It is my wish that every Pennsylvanian living with a criminal record could experience the same transformation and grow into a version of themselves that far too many never get to see. I will endeavor to stay on this path, walking beside those who need it, and offering the very hope that carries me until it becomes their own.

Keep Hope Alive.

The figures reported above do not include the exciting news that the pardon application is now available online. This culmination of a multi-year effort has resulted in a significant advancement.

Here are links to:

• The application, which you can now print and email OR fill out entirely online
• A video guide produced by the PPSC
• Ten tips for using the online portal

PLSE offers its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of former Board of Pardons Secretary and passionate second chances advocate Brandon Flood. 

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