Last week ColorOfChange organized a coalition to deliver over 130,000 signatures to the White House in Support of a Federal “Ban the Box” Initiative

**View Photos From Last Week’s Press Conference Here: http://gtty.im/1S670oO **

Today, news outlets are reporting that President Obama will announce plans to put in place sweeping measures that could reduce obstacles for the 70 million U.S. adults with arrests or convictions. These include initiatives designed to improve rehabilitation and re-entry, including education and housing grants, as well as public private partnerships to provide jobs and training in technology. The president also plans to announce an executive order for federal employers to delay asking questions about a job applicant’s criminal history.

The announcement comes on the heels of a day of action in which ColorOfChange organized an in-person coalition petition delivery of over 130,000 signatures to the White House, calling on President Obama to remove the conviction history check-box from federal agency/contractor job applications – in an effort better known as “Ban the Box.”  The coalition, which included members of Formerly Incarcerated & Convicted People’s Movement, has had multiple meetings with the White House, including one last Monday, to discuss the many barriers that people with arrest records face in the United States. ColorOfChange has also met with the White House on this issue.

Statement from Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange:

“This announcement from President Obama shows what can happen when groups work together to push for change, equity and fairness. This movement is particularly powerful because it has been led for over a decade by the people who are most impacted — those with criminal records — who face a range of legalized discrimination that keeps them cut off from mainstream society and the economy.  We still have more work to do, as this order still does not outright ‘Ban the Box’ for all job-seekers, but today is a big step forward in the fight for dignity and self-empowerment for those seeking to re-integrate into society after serving their time.”

Currently there are 44,000 laws on the books that prevent people from re-integrating into their communities after serving time, which is key to reducing recidivism. Employment, education and access to better housing offers a pathway out of poverty for many low-income families living on severely limited income. Research shows that Black and Latino people with records face particularly devastating prospects post-incarceration.

ColorOfChange worked in partnership with John Legend’s #FREEAMERICA campaign to push for an Ban the Box Executive Order.

See Petition Here: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/tell-obama-ban-the-box

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With more than one million members, ColorOfChange is the country’s largest online civil rights organization.