Last month two 9to5 Action Network members from Asheville, North Carolina, attended the Regional Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia .  It was the first 9to5 event for Julia and Carrie, and the training from the conference has inspired them to begin a local Ban the Box campaign.

“Hearing stories from 9to5 members in Atlanta was really inspirational. It was awesome to hear about how these strong women have dealt with adversity and challenges even when things were stacked against them. I feel like I have the ability now to make a difference.” –Carrie

“There are so many people who are being discriminated against by not even being considered for a job because of having a record from a past mistake, sometimes one from 20 years ago or more. Everyone deserves a chance to provide for themselves and family, and I know people here who are struggling unnecessarily because they aren’t given the same opportunity as others. I’ve talked to a lot of people who are being affected already and I’m excited to reach out to more people here and begin a campaign to end discrimination against those who have been previously incarcerated.” Julia

If you are interested in learning more about the Ban the Box campaign in Asheville, North Carolina or attending a 9to5 Regional Leadership Conference in your area please contact Valerie at Valerie@9to5.org for more information.

(Pictured above: Carrie Boyd, Valerie Thelen, Julia Attermeier)