No one should be judged solely on their past actions or experiences, but considered fully as the person they are now and choose to be.

We see the setbacks returning citizens face on a daily basis. When people come home from incarceration, there is an expectation that they have “done their time” and paid their debt to society. But for many, they never stop paying – their history of incarceration prevents them from renting a home, getting a job, making friends, and living without stigma or harassment due to their record.

This campaign opens up the experiences of people just trying to rebuild their lives after losing so much time behind bars. We hope that these stories and conversations resonate with you and help you view returning citizens not as threats or disruptions, but as individuals who add value to their communities when given the chance.

How are returning citizens ever supposed to get their second chance if no one accepts them back into society as just another free person? 

It’s time we give returning citizens “A Chance to Thrive.”