One in three Americans has a criminal record.

Even after they’ve fulfilled their justice system obligations, many still face significant barriers to finding meaningful employment.

The complex paperwork needed to clear their records keeps millions of people from supporting their families and communities—and it costs the US up to $87 billion a year in economic growth.

To create awareness for this opportunity, we commissioned an art installation using the same legal paperwork to create 38 statues representing each state that has yet to enact Clean Slate legislation. The installation appeared in Independence Mall in Philadelphia in April 2024 before moving to our Madison Ave. headquarters in New York City.

Clean Slate legislation establishes a framework for automatically sealing or clearing eligible criminal records, opening opportunities for more people to enter the workforce. It was first enacted in the state of Pennsylvania.

Learn more about how to create more opportunities for this Waiting Workforce.