Babz Rawls Ivy received a 30-day federal sentence in 2007 for misappropriation of funds for a federal program. She used this time of incarceration not as an end, but as a beginning, devoting herself to personal growth, accountability and public service in her hometown of New Haven, Connecticut. In the following 18 years, she accomplished remarkable things and currently serves on the boards of directors for the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, the Long Wharf Theater, and the Freed Woman Fund (which she founded to support women returning to community after incarceration). She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Inner-City News, New Haven’s legacy Black newspaper, and hosts a weekday radio show.
Despite becoming a trusted public figure in Connecticut, Babz’s conviction limits her. Through Yale Law School’s Access to Law School program, her mentor James Forman, Jr. has prepared her to begin legal studies at Western New England School of Law. Without expungement, she will face needless challenge at every turn in her attempt to become a public interest lawyer advocating for those trapped on the margins of poverty. Expungement would benefit not only her but her beloved community, which could benefit greatly from her talents as a lawyer.
Read what federal expungement is, Our Position, and Why Now.