Reflecting on the Power of Community: CSI’s 2025 Convening in Chicago

^ Photo Credit: The Clean Slate Initiative

On June 4–6, 2025, The Clean Slate Initiative brought together more than 300 advocates, organizers, directly impacted leaders, and other Clean Slate stakeholders from across the country for our 2025 Convening. This year, we were celebrating 5 years of CSI’s progress, and a lifetime of impact for Clean Slate across the country — and the historic Old Post Office in Chicago set the stage for something truly special.

From the moment registration opened, it was clear that the momentum behind Clean Slate is stronger than ever. We sold out before we could even reach the registration deadline — a testament to the excitement that has grown around this event. 

Weeks before the Convening started, the Clean Slate community was already showing up: using our event app, attendees were planning get-togethers, sharing goals and plans for the event, exchanging photos from previous years, setting their program schedules, and sharing the hype on social media.

Centering Directly Impacted Leadership

CSI’s Convening is for the whole Clean Slate community, but it’s centered around the people who feel the impact of this work most. Developing the leadership skills and capacity of Directly Impacted leaders is a central pillar of CSI’s values — and our ability to build durable campaigns. That’s why, for the second year in a row, we hosted a special event the day before the Convening: the Lived Experience Leadership Summit. 

The Lived Experience Leadership Summit was an invitation-only opportunity to bring together over 150 Directly Impacted leaders to learn from each other and build their leadership skills, with a focus on topics that help build sustainable, strategic, and intentional advocacy. As a special thank-you to attendees, we also offered professional headshots by Lakesha Miner Photography. We captured the day with graphic notes from Ink Factory Studio — a visual to remind us of the summit’s impact.

This year’s leadership summit was powered by The Just Trust, whose mission is to ensure that the next chapter of justice reform in America is nimble, adaptable, well-funded, and able to make progress through the shifting tides of politics and culture.

‍Building a Lifetime of Impact: Our Two-Day Program

This year’s Convening featured a dynamic lineup of workshops, peer learning sessions, and skill-building opportunities focused on expanding access to second chances through policy reform, advocacy, and building bridges. Session topics included:

• Building Your State’s Clean Slate Roadmap;
• Finding the Messages — and Messengers — that Move People;
• Navigating Implementation: Strategies for Working with State Agencies;
• Clean Slate is Making an Impact: What the Research Shows;
• Directly Impacted Leaders Shaping Federal Advocacy;
• Portals and More: Understanding Your Own Record;
• Building Bipartisan Power for Clean Slate; and
• Engaging Supporters Across Digital Platforms.

Whether diving deep into campaign strategy, learning how to build powerful coalitions, or exploring state and federal wins and challenges, attendees walked away with new tools and renewed determination. The energy in every room reflected the passion, resilience, and shared purpose of our growing national community.

During both days, CSI offered activations that gave attendees an opportunity to connect and reflect. Through a partnership with Flikshop, attendees were able to send postcards to people who are currently incarcerated, offering hope and connection to those who are working toward their own second chance. We also had a “Second Chance” wall, where attendees were invited to leave their mark by reflecting and sharing what a second chance means to them.

One of our favorite Convening traditions continued this year: collecting powerful stories for CSI’s Storyteller Series. Advocates shared their second chance stories with us as part of our ongoing effort to uplift the voices of the people who are impacted by Clean Slate the most. The talented Xavier McCleary captured these stories with intent and compassion, and we can’t wait to premiere those videos — stay tuned!

‍Celebrating Progress: CSI’s 5 Year Anniversary Reception

During an evening reception on June 5, with the Chicago skyline as a backdrop, we celebrated CSI’s 5 year anniversary in true Clean Slate fashion: fun, festive, and with lots of purple. Our celebration was about more than just CSI — it was a moment to thank every attendee and honor every person who’s contributed to this work in some way over the last five years. DJ 3Snapz got us dancing, good food kept us fueled, and surprise moments from Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (Illinois’ Clean Slate bill champion) and the CSI team kept us on our toes.

This year’s reception was generously sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co., a long-time partner in the work to advance second chances across the country.

Thank You

As we look back on this year’s incredible Convening, one thing is clear: the Clean Slate community is more united, more inspired, and more powerful than ever before. We left Chicago with full hearts, fresh ideas, and a renewed commitment to bringing Clean Slate to all 50 states.

We want to extend a special thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible:

• The Just Trust
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Happily
• Flikshop
• XM Productions
• Lakesha Miner Photography
• The Old Post Office
• DJ 3Snapz
• Bianca Tylek, Author of The Prison Industry
• Ink Factory Studio

To everyone who joined us, supported us, and shared in this experience — thank you. Let’s carry this energy forward and keep building the future we know is possible.