Online Event Gives Participants Tools to Repair Their Records

Being convicted of a felony often means losing more than freedom. The loss of voting rights, parental rights, and discrimination by potential employers can have implications long after a person serves their time.

This October, Construction Cares partnered with Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. and State Representative Omar Williams to present Know Your Rights. The online event hosted by Cabrini Green Legal Aid was the first in a three-part series designed to help attendees understand the steps they can take to restore some of the rights they lost due to their conviction. The first session covered restoring voting rights, renewing driver’s licenses after revocation or suspension, and expungement of prior convictions.

Construction Cares Executive Director Rachel Ivy said this information is desperately needed by many in the construction industry who are ready and willing to work but are denied employment because of their backgrounds. “Many of the individuals we serve are ex-offenders, so we wanted to equip them with the information they need to get a fresh start.” She hopes the series will be a positive step on the road to gainful employment for many underserved members of the construction community.

“We want them to understand their rights,” Ivy said. “Having a conviction on your record doesn’t have to mean your life is over.”