Maybe that thing you did 20 years ago — back when you were drinking too much, hanging around the wrong people or simply making decisions you wouldn’t make today — is still following you.
Maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe money was tight, you were young and you didn’t see another way out. Or maybe you made a mistake, paid your debt and have spent years building a completely different life.
But when a background check comes back, the past can suddenly feel very present.
A criminal record can make it harder to land a job, find housing or pursue an education — even years after the circumstances that led to it are long behind you.
That’s where Clean Slate GR comes in.
The City of Grand Rapids will host its fifth annual Clean Slate GR: Expungement Fair from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at the MLK Community Center, 900 Fuller Ave. SE. The free event is open to Michigan residents who want to find out whether they qualify to have eligible convictions expunged.
And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Attendees can meet with attorneys, get a free ICHAT background check and fingerprinting, and receive help determining eligibility. For those who qualify, everything needed to file an expungement application will be available on site.
It’s a practical opportunity for people who have spent years moving forward to make sure their record doesn’t keep pulling them backward.
“Clearing a criminal record can open doors to employment, housing and education that were previously closed,” said Brandon Davis, Managing Director of the Office of Equity and Engagement and the Office of Oversight and Public Accountability. “This fair is about providing hope and real opportunities for people ready to move forward. I’m incredibly proud to have served over 1000 residents over the past five years through Clean Slate GR, and it’s truly rewarding for me and my department to host this event each year.”
Over the past five years, Clean Slate GR has served more than 1,000 residents.
Preregistration is now open.
One important caveat: Federal and out-of-state convictions are not eligible for expungement through this event.
Clean Slate GR: Expungement Fair
Saturday, Aug. 22, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
MLK Community Center, 900 Fuller Ave. SE, Grand Rapids
For anyone who has ever thought, I wish I could just put that part of my life behind me, a fresh start may be closer than you think.
Preregistration is now open HERE.
