Life After Prison: Success Stories

Having a criminal record is like being known only as the worst thing you’ve ever done in your life. What if we could change that?

“This story of change isn’t for me to keep, it’s to give it away. People need to hear it, my brothers and sisters need to hear it: if he can do it, I can do it. And they do.” — Kenneth Moore, sentenced to 22 years in prison at the age of 17.

The thing about having a criminal record is that for the rest of your life, you will be known only by the worst thing you’ve ever done. Every interview you walk into, every apartment you apply for, every bank account, every university, even every date you go on…people know you as the worst mistake you’ve ever made.

Take a moment to think about your own worst mistakes. How would it feel if every room you walked into knew what they were, before they knew anything else about you?

More importantly, how could you ever heal, improve, or move on to better things?

This is what it’s like for the 70 million Americans with a criminal record — about 1 in 3 adults in the United States.

70 Million Jobs is working to change this. As an employment platform specifically for folks with criminal records, we work with thousands of formerly incarcerated folks every day, helping them find meaningful work. We know very well that there is a lot more to them than their mistakes— but we also know that not a lot of people know this.

Introducing our new series, Life After Prison: Success Stories. We are highlighting folks who have done great work after incarceration— on themselves, in their families, and in their communities. Our intention is to share their stories and highlight the chapters of their life they’re most proud of…instead of the other way around.

Stay tuned for more.