
Samantha C. Pownall
Host: New York Civil Liberties Union
Sponsor: Bingham McCutchen LLP
The Fair Chance Project will utilize New York City’s ban-the-box-law, the Fair Chance Act, to combat employment discrimination against youth in New York City, educate stakeholders of the Act, and fight to improve the lives and futures of young people affected by the criminal justice system.
The criminal justice system is critically flawed. It disproportionately targets communities of color and creates collateral consequences that penalize people long after they leave jail or prison. Discrimination against people with criminal records is one of the most severe collateral consequences resulting mass incarceration. In New York, criminal convictions often stay on a person’s record for life. By combatting employment discrimination against people with criminal records, the Project will help young people overcome the consequences of growing up in over-policed communities and obtain lives of dignity and purpose that accompany meaningful employment.
In the past two years, Eric has:
Now that the Fellowship is complete, Eric plans to continue to help build Youth Represent’s employment discrimination practice targeting employers that unlawfully deny employment to job seekers on the basis of criminal record information.
Employees With Criminal Records Deserve a Second Chance
Host: New York Civil Liberties Union
Sponsor: Bingham McCutchen LLP
Host: Mississippi Center for Justice
Sponsor: Individual Donors, Jones & Funderburg, Law Office of Michael J. Miller, Esquire
Host: Advocates for Children's Services
Sponsor: Anonymous
Host: New York Civil Liberties Union
Sponsor: Norflet Progress Fund