Originally, I was going to focus on Collateral Consequences for those unfortunate enough to be convicted of a crime and how I at least am managing to slog through the consequences.  My original About Me:

Collateral consequences. What does that mean? It means the often undiscussed impact of a criminal conviction as you and/or your attorney discuss a plea agreement with the prosecutor. During plea negotiations, your mind’s eye is focused on eluding the bars of prison, or at least minimizing your stay there. Your attorney shares that vision, and quite often neglects to discuss what happens after conviction, after you have been branded as a criminal. The collateral consequences of conviction. And the prosecutor? Well, he or she is busy prosecuting, trying to extract a pro-prosecution plea agreement as quickly as possible.

One out of every four adults has a criminal record. I am one of the four, and the collateral consequences have been staggering. The American Bar Association has begun to catalog collateral consequences, and has currently amassed over 17,000 collateral consequences with only 17 jurisdictions under its belt (www.abacollateralconsequences.org). A quick query of employment implications both federally and in Pennsylvania (my home state) left me aghast, though not surprised. For you see, I have been through the job search  charade, and have emerged on the other side, grossly underemployed, but employed nonetheless. I am grateful for my employment, because I know so many who are not.

Who am I? I am your sister, your mother, your grandmother, your cousin. I am one of every four Americans. I have a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from a top university, a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies from an ABA-approved program, a Phi Beta Kappa key, a Lambda Epsilon Chi pin, former employment as a senior sales and marketing executive, and now, overshadowing all of this, a criminal record.

But now there is so much more to consider. We are entering a new era of increased discrimination and conflict, and those of us at the bottom need to unite and forge a path that is well-informed, compassionate and inclusive. I hope to share information here that is helpful for the path forward.