162. San Jose State Record Clearance Project

The Record Clearance Project (RCP) promotes justice by providing needed services to those who cannot afford them to foster rehabilitation and reduce recidivism, boasting a 99% success rate in court.To do this, the RCP's legal services program informs people regarding their legal rights to a clear record and provides the legal assistance necessary for them to achieve the second chance that the law promises. The RCP's Path to Expungement Service Navigation Program provides guidance as people leave custody to move forward with their lives. As undergraduates make a difference in the lives of others, they gain the experience and motivation to promote social justice. The RCP is the only legal services clinical education program in the nation taught at the undergraduate level.Emily Benson recently graduated from San José State University with a degree in Justice Studies and a concentration in Criminology. With a passion for community activism, she began volunteering as a teen first responder in high school, working with the San Diego Police Department for two years to support victims in the aftermath of tragedy. Through a semester-long study abroad program in Greece, she volunteered with a local non-profit organization that helped Syrian refugees rebuild their lives. Her experiences have deepened her commitment to social justice both domestically and internationally. Emily is grateful to make a positive impact through her involvement with the Record Clearance Project. Project Assistant Sandra Carrillo is a first-generation college student, who graduated in Fall 2024 with a major in Criminal Justice and minors in Psychology and Forensic Science. Born in Los Angeles but raised in Mexico, Sandra is fluent in Spanish. Sandra seeks to uplift those who are underrepresented in the community and to provide the support they deserve but often lack. Sandra works with the mentoring program, teaches Computers and the Internet courses in Spanish and English to formerly incarcerated participants, and helps with legal services presentations and other RCP work as needed.To learn more, go to:https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/sjsu-rcp-landing-page/home To learn more about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley, go tohttps://rotary.cool