Source: Rodney White / RODNEY WHITE
Rodney White, a Richmond native, seeks 100,000 signatures to even be considered for a Presidential Pardon. Will you support Miss Community and Rolling For Freedom’s push to obtain 100,000 signatures in 30-days? Deadline is May 12, 2016. Sign the petition here. Clovia Lawrence
Miss Community Clovia and Rodney White talk about the Presidential Pardon request and how former offenders are convicted over and over again after they have paid their debt to society. Play audio here…
Rodney White prepares for his Presidential Pardon submission:
In my preparation process with the help of Wake Forest School of Law I found that the Presidential Pardon Process is not user-friendly and if I did not have the help of a team of law students I would probably not have the request correctly submitted and thus not be eligible for a review. So, I am turning my efforts to not just submitting my pardon but additionally asking the President to review the process that is 23 pages and requires supporters to have documents notarized and completed on a pdf format with limited space.
So please support my efforts by signing the Petition to have my pardon considered and to review the pardon process. On a more personal note, I admit to having been a drug dealer in the same manner politicians have now admitted that the drug laws were biased and inadvertently caused minorities to be disproportionately incarcerated. In the spirit that politicians ask for the ability to legislate and correct these errors I ask that I be given the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and review the good things that I have done in my community and grant me a pardon. In signing my petition, you are asking the President to review the process of submitting pardons and consider my pardon. Thank you so much and please share this post so that we can get the 100,000 signatures and more by May 12, 2016.
Learn all about my good friend, and classmate Rodney White in his open letter as he request a Presidential Pardon:
Please Support My Request for a Presidential Pardon
An Open Request to All of My Friends and Family
I am respectfully requesting your support in my application for a Presidential Pardon which is being prepared on my behalf by the Wake Forest University School of Law, Veteran’s Legal Clinic. The granting of a pardon would be useful in my academic and professional career in expressing that there is power in education and a willingness to educate and help others that struggle to overcome the obstacle of a felony conviction. I do expect to get some shares, likes, and comments in support of my request and that would make me feel great. However, I would prefer a heartfelt letter to President Obama expressing something positive and productive that you recognized as an achievement in my life since my leaving prison that would make me deserving of receiving a Presidential Pardon. Thank you for all the love and support that you give and though this Presidential Pardon would have my name on it, it will represent the hope of many people who strive to make their life better and the community that we live in despite being branded as a convicted felon.
In February of 2007 I left prison after serving 15 years of an 18-year sentence as a first time non-violent drug offender. Most people would think that after being incarcerated for that length of time, I would leave prison bitter at a system that many believe is designed for systemic and institutionalized failure. Instead, I returned to society with a mission to become better. Education became my tool of choice in rebuilding my life. Thus, my life’s work and passion for the past 9 years has been to become educated and use my education to help others.
My first jobs humbled my spirit and helped me to realize that I had to take 100% responsibility for my life. I started working as a janitor, installing satellite TV and selling cars before building up the courage to apply to the University of Richmond. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Richmond, I pursed a Master’s Degree in Adult Education and graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Carolina A&T State University.
After completing over 300 hours as an intern in the Student Success Center and working daily with students at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) while facilitating new student orientation and academic advising, I was hired as a Student Success Professional/Academic Advisor. I was quickly promoted to become Assistant Director of Student Life and Coordinator of the Minority Male Mentoring Program. Currently, I am an Adult Career Coach (click link) and this small video will give you a brief look at some of the work that I am part of in contributing to the greatness of the Virginia Community College System as a staff member at Danville Community College.
In addition to my professional achievements I am a state wide volunteer for the Virginia Department of Corrections, Dismas Charities, Virginia C.A.R.E.S., Degrees Matter and I have spoken and given workshops in federal and state prisons, colleges, universities, federal courts, and public schools around the country utilizing my R.E.A.D. to Succeed Reentry Program. My life’s purpose is to use my education, life challenges, and enthusiasm to facilitate and motivate others to reach their goals in positive and loving way.
Man Seeks 100,000 Signatures For Presidential Pardon Consideration was originally published on kissrichmond.com
