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This week on Working Girl, Rachel sits down with Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative, for a powerful conversation about second chances, systemic barriers, and what it really means to move forward after a criminal record.

Sheena shares her own deeply personal experience navigating the justice system, why automated record sealing matters, and how outdated laws continue to impact millions of people long after a sentence ends. Together, they unpack the emotional weight of stigma, the realities women face after incarceration, and why this work is about far more than policy.

They also discuss burnout, empathy, motherhood, community care, and how to stay engaged in a world that often feels overwhelming.

Under Sheena’s leadership, The Clean Slate Initiative has helped pass clean slate legislation in 14 states and Washington, D.C., opening pathways to housing, employment, education, and dignity for millions of Americans.

This episode is a reminder that people are more than the worst thing they’ve ever done and that second chances should not be a privilege.

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Check out the show notes for ways to get involved, learn more, and support the work.

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