Code for America wants to clear 250,000 marijuana convictions

Over the years Jennifer Pahlka has listened as discouraged people across America shared their stories of missed employment, education, financial, and housing opportunities with her. She’s comforted these individuals, gotten to know them, and learned that past marijuana convictions follow them in ways that make it impossible to move forward in life.

"The things that people write will break your heart: 'I made a small mistake a long time ago and it’s just haunting me, I need a job to take care of my kids, I need a job to take care of my parents,'" Pahlka, founder and executive director of Code for America, said. "In a human way, when you see the problem up close it becomes a moral imperative to solve it." Read more...