Thank you to all who attended the 2021 Exemplar Awards Gala! If you missed out, you can catch up on the excitement by watching the Awards Program Video on our website. There, you may watch or rewatch the Corporate Conversation on Racial Equity with this year's Exemplar Honorees, moderated by Jo-Ann Wallace, our president and CEO. We have also included the video link to the Beacon of Justice Awardees detailing the work they did in 2020 to address systemic racial disparities.

If after watching, you feel inspired to do more, please consider joining our current Congressional letter sign-on letter in support of the federal Clean Slate Act of 2021 (introduced as S. 1380 and H. 2864), which would make expungement easier and more efficient for those who qualify and accompanying legislation that would establish a grant program for states to implement a Clean Slate system. These bills represent the first steps towards a federal Clean Slate, which could help ensure economic opportunity for all by ending the harmful and unnecessary collateral consequences that often follow individuals for life after a criminal conviction or arrest, which disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities. NLADA is pleased to partner with the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice on this opportunity for the corporate community. To sign or learn more, please e-mail Maha Jweied, NLADA Senior Fellow, at m.jweied@nlada.org.