CAN-DO members Rufus Rochell and Chad Marks in Wall Street Journal re: Covid-19 - Prison and jail officials trying to stem the spread of the new coronavirus behind bars are releasing thousands of prisoners to await trial or serve their sentences at home, spurring a debate over public health versus public safety—and producing some seemingly inconsistent outcomes. Rufus Rochell, 68, who is serving a… 
Most vulnerable prison population is in great peril… - Roughly 50,000 inmates at federal prisons meet criteria for release to home confinement based on guidelines in the CARES Act, and the Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons has largely failed to act, according to those who work with the incarcerated. Amy Ralston Povah is a federal inmate-turned-advocate who was… CAN-DO’s Daniel Brown in Wall Street Journal seeking compassionate release - Daniel Brown has sought his release at least five times during his 14 years behind bars. Now the coronavirus pandemic might offer him his greatest chance at freedom. A federal judge in Iowa, where Mr. Brown was originally convicted on methamphetamine and gun charges, has agreed to reconsider his request… 
FOR WOMEN AT A FEDERAL PRISON HOSPITAL IN TEXAS, FEAR THAT CORONAVIRUS WILL SPREAD ‘LIKE WILDFIRE’ - Two prisoners at FMC Carswell have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the Bureau of Prisons, including a pregnant woman in critical care on a ventilator, her baby delivered early by C-section. Although federal directives call for the release of at-risk prisoners to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Carswell’s… Three CAN-DO members receive clemency from President Trump - President Trump granted a series of pardons and sentence commutations this week, a list that featured high-profile cases involving political corruption and corporate greed as well as more routine drug and fraud charges. In the 11 cases, Mr. Trump leaned on advice from friends and allies, as well as a woman he… 
Crystal Munoz, Tynice Hall and Judith Negron among clemency recipients by President Trump - Advocates for justice overhaul said Mr. Trump should be praised for his interventions. “Some people are trying to bash Trump for letting people circumvent the process and go directly to the White House,” said Amy Ralston Povah, the founder of the Clemency for All Nonviolent Drug Offenders Foundation. “But the… Washington Examiner quotes CAN-DO prisoners seeking clemency - Each year Steven Nelson of the Washington Examiner writes about the Presidential Turkey pardon as a means to raise awareness for people seeking clemency from draconian sentences that sprang from the “tough on crime” era of the late 80s and 90s. We collected quotes from several of the people profiled… 
First Step Act recipient Catherine Toney goes to the White House - Catherine Toney has been profiled on the CAN-DO website for many years. We thought she would get clemency from the Obama administration because she not only met all the criteria of the Clemency Project 2014, she was assigned a CP14 attorney from Duke University who filed her petition, but sadly,… 
360 Law focuses on John Bolen’s clemency petition and the backlog of other pending petitions - Because he let two Bahamian men use his boat to smuggle 188 kilograms of cocaine into Florida 13 years ago, John Bolen is going to die in federal prison. In his bid for presidential clemency, the former commercial fisherman cites several contributing factors that led to his fate. Hurricanes ravaged… 
Aaron Sandusky’s medical marijuana nightmare – told by Reason - When Sandusky opened a marijuana dispensary in 2009, medical cannabis had been legal for 13 years in California. But in 2011, the feds carried out a series of federal raids on medical marijuana clinics in California, despite earlier assurances from President Barack Obama and his attorney general that they wouldn’t… 
REVEAL’s “Pardon Me” featuring Charles “Duke” Tanner and CAN-DO - CAN-DO’s Amy Ralston Povah was interviewed for the “Pardon Me” episode on Reveal and connected the producer with one of our favorite clemency applicants – Charles Tanner. Listen to “Pardon Me” here. We start by meeting Charles “Duke” Tanner, a former boxer who is serving 30 years in federal prison… 
Rufus Rochell in Daily Beast by Sam Stein - As he watched CNN from inside the federal correctional complex in Coleman, Florida, Rufus Rochell couldn’t suppress his joy at the news of Conrad Black. His old friend, the media tycoon with whom he shared a dorm years ago, had received a pardon from President Donald Trump. Surely this meant that… 
Crystal Munoz in local Odessa press – MRT - An Odessa woman serving 15 years for conspiracy charges related to marijuana has petitioned U.S. President Donald Trump for a sentence reduction. A petition was filed on Crystal Munoz’s behalf by Texas A&M University’s Criminal Defense Clinic in November and supplemented with additional information in March. Munoz was found guilty… Jared Kushner helps First Step Act recipient get a job at Walmart - Catherine Toney began February in prison and ended the month with a job at Walmart after White House adviser Jared Kushner called company CEO Doug McMillon on her behalf. Toney, 55, is believed to be the first woman freed by the FIRST STEP Act, which President Trump signed in December. She was released… Michael Thompson goes viral thanks to Tana Ganeva’s Intercept article - After Tana Ganeva’s article dropped about Michael “Meeko” Thompson, it has gone viral on twitter, thanks to Shaun King, Ava DuVernay, and many more…an attorney has been assigned to help Meeko file for clemency in the state of Michigan. MICHAEL THOMPSON IS serving a 40- to 60-year sentence in Muskegon Correctional…
America’s Voice News covers the First Step Act - America’s Voice News interviewed Amy Ralston Povah, Angela Stanton King and Topeka Sam about the First Step Act and the long road ahead for criminal justice reform. Watch the interview on American Voice News The bill known as the First Step Act would take modest steps to reform the criminal… First Step Act snafu – but not for long! CAN-DO in Washington Examiner - “The recalculation of ‘good time’ credit is simply a data entry,” agreed Amy Povah, founder of the Clemency for All Non-Violent Drug Offenders, or CAN-DO, Foundation. “That should take 15 seconds.” The White House and Federal Bureau of Prisons did not respond to requests for comment. Justice Department spokesman Wyn… 
Charles “Duke” Tanner in Chicago Tribune - Charles “Duke” Tanner is an extraordinary case of an undefeated boxer from Gary, Indiana. He’s a first offender serving a 30-year sentence, reduced from LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE. He is on the CAN-DO Top 25 Men deserving of clemency and is one of several cases we have sent to the White… Clemency: The criminal justice reform Trump can achieve without Congress - President Trump unveiled one of his top legislative priorities before Democrats take over the House of Representatives: passage of the First Step Act, which would reduce some prison sentences. Though he still must win a tug-of-war within the Republican Party to get that bill through, he has a Plan B… Three CAN-DO members featured in Washington Examiner seeking clemency - CAN-DO was asked to obtain quotes from several of our clemency candidates. Fortunately, we were able to get quotes from Michael Pelletier, Chad Marks and David Barren for the following article by Steven Nelson for Washington Examiner. When President Trump “pardons” a pair of Thanksgiving turkeys on Tuesday, prisoners will… CAN-DO’s Amy Ralston Povah quoted on prison reform and clemency in Washington Examiner - CAN-DO members Michael Montalvo and Lavonne Roach quoted in the Washington Examiner… “Last month, clemency advocates including Amy Povah of CAN-DO Clemency and Alveda King, the anti-abortion evangelical leader, hosted a panel at a Women for Trump event at Trump International Hotel in Washington. Povah hopes that Congress passes the… 
Corvain Cooper in OC Register – Will Trump save his life! - Barbara Tillis isn’t sure when she’ll get to see her son, Corvain Cooper, again. (read the entire article here) Every few months for the past four years, Tillis, has driven five hours with her husband, daughter and Cooper’s oldest daughter, making the trip from Rialto to the federal prison in Atwater, near… 
CAN-DO President Amy Ralston Povah in Episode 1 Podcast: Love vs DEA - Emanuel Sferios (Founder of Dance Safe) and co-host Tatiana Makovkin have kicked off a “risk reduction and benefit enhancement podcast reducing shame and stigma to save lives and end the drug war.” For their first podcast, they interviewed Amy Ralston Povah who refused to “cooperate” and become a working informant… 
Amy Povah in Salon: “Is there hope…” - Back in the late ’80s, a few years into her marriage to her now ex-husband, Povah discovered that he had been involved in an international ecstasy business. He asked her to handle some “financial matters” for him while he was dealing with some legal wrangling. At her trial, there was… 
Yahoo News focuses on 3 CAN-DO clemency candidates - When Alice Marie Johnson, a 63-year-old grandmother serving life in prison for drug trafficking, was granted clemency by President Trump on June 6, a phone call went out from the White House counsel’s office — the administration wanted more people like her. On the receiving end was Mark Holden, general… Ex-NFL player asks Trump to release Marcus Paige – we think he’s innocent! - Amy Povah, who leads the CAN-DO Foundation, says she confirmed with the policy advocate who is serving as a conduit that Paige’s letter was sent to the White House on Wednesday. The advocate did not respond to requests for independent confirmation. “CAN-DO normally doesn’t take second degree murder cases because… 
Medium interviews Amy Povah on prison reform and Alice Johnson’s clemency - Amy Ralston Povah served nine years in prison before President Clinton commuted her sentence. She is now one of the most knowledgeable and effective advocates for executive clemency, and for sensible reform of our criminal justice system. Her group, CAN-DO recommends candidates for clemency (sentence reduction), including Alice Johnson, whose sentence… CAN-DO’s list of names goes to the White House, per Washington Examiner - CAN-DO sited by Washington Examiner as one of three sources providing names of additional clemency candidates to the White House. Read the rest of the story A list of 17 women and six men prepared by CAN-DO was topped by drug-conspiracy convict Michelle West and mail-fraud inmate Connie Farris, women… 
Entertainment Tonight interviews CAN-DO’s Amy Ralston Povah about Felicity Huffman’s time in prison - Felicity Huffman’s time spent at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, will definitely not feel like a vacation, former inmate Amy Povah tells ET. On Wednesday, ET spoke to Povah — who previously served nine years at the same jail that 56-year-old Huffman turned herself in to on Tuesday to begin her two-week… 
FCI Dublin cell is NO college dorm room, says Amy Povah of CAN-DO Foundation - “To set the record straight, I have no recollection of ever comparing a prison cell to “college dorm living” although that’s a catchy title for In Touch.” says Amy Ralston Povah to her CAN-DO members and followers on social media. For one, you cannot bring your bed covering, clothes, leave… 
CNN – Trump commutes sentence of Alice Marie Johnson - Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of Alice Marie Johnson, a first-time nonviolent drug offender, a week after Kim Kardashian West pleaded her case during an Oval Office meeting with Trump. Johnson has already served 21 years of a life sentence after she was convicted on charges of… CANDO goes to the White House, quoted in the Washington Examiner - CANDO president Amy Povah attended the White House Summit on prison reform as mentioned in the Washington Examiner: Read the entire story here. Amy Povah, founder of the CAN-DO Foundation, said that she left the White House optimistic about the chances of both legislative reform and clemency under Trump.… 
CAN-DO in USA Today – Alice Johnson’s Clemency - CAN-DO quoted in USA Today, per Gregory Korte on the freedom of Alice Johnson: Watch video and read the story here The Can-Do Foundation, which advocates shorter sentences for non-violent drug offenders, put Johnson at the top of its list of federal prisoners most deserving of a presidential commutation. Amy… Alan Dershowitz, Alice Johnson and CAN-DO in Wash Examiner talking Clemency - CAN-DO collected quotes from Alice Johnson, Michael Pelletier, Michelle West, Crystal Munoz, and Connie Farris, for Steven Nelson’s article focused on Alan Dershowitz’s perspective on what it takes to get clemency from President Trump. “You have to appeal to his sense of injustice,” said Dershowitz, who often says on TV that… 
Business Insider covers Kim Kardashian’s trip to the White House - Johnson said it took a miracle for her case to grab the attention of the Trump administration — and that miracle came in the form of Kardashian West. For years, Johnson believed Obama was her last hope of leaving prison alive. Now, she’s hoping Trump will do what Obama wouldn’t.… 
The Appeal podcast with Amy Ralston and Craig Cesal - DEBUNKING THE STORIES ABOUT FEDERAL PRISONERS DINING ON STEAK As the government shutdown drags on, a number of media outlets–from NBC News to USA Today to the Washington Post–have run stories claiming that federal prisoners are eating elaborate steak dinners while prison guards go unpaid. This narrative, while obviously bogus,… 
CANDO in BBC coverage of Kim Kardashian’s meeting with Pres. Trump - BBC writes about Kim Kardashian’s trip to the White House and talked to CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah. CAN-DO is elated that Kim Kardashian has committed herself to freeing Alice Johnson, who has been on the CAN-DO Top 25 since 2014 and was mysteriously passed over by the Obama administration. Read… 
Catina Scales and Topeka Sam on MSNBC mention CAN-DO RE: Alice Johnson - Catina Scales (daughter of Alice Johnson and friend of CAN-DO President Amy Povah) and colleague Topeka Sam were interviewed on MSNBC about Alice Johnson’s clemency, granted by President Trump on June 6 2018. Topeka Sam does a great job explaining why we need to end Life Without Parole sentences. Catina… 
In Justice Today and CANDO focus on BOP memos with harsh consequences - CANDO Foundation worked with reporter Lauren Gill with In Justice Today to get to the bottom of the BOP Memo debacle regarding BOOKS, EMAIL and MAIL policy. It’s a very bleak picture. The book policy prohibits family and friends from sending prisoners books. The policy has yet to be implemented… 
New Haven Independent – Alice Johnson Skypes into Yale University - Organizations like The National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls and the CAN DO Foundation are not only working on just prison and sentencing reform and re-entry, but are actively trying to get women out of prison. Read entire story entitled Drug War’s Collateral Lifers Seek Freedom in… 
Clemency recipient Felicia Smith on Vice News thanks to CANDO - Felicia received clemency on President Obama’s last full day in office – Jan 19, 2017. Vice news reached out to the CANDO Foundation seeking an interview with a clemency recipient that Obama commuted on his last day in office. We paired them with Felicia Smith! Vice news covered Felicia’s story: … Washington Examiner quotes CAN-DO prisoners seeking mercy from Trump at Thanksgiving - A huge thank you to Steve Nelson at Washington Examiner for spotlighting three prisoners that CAN-DO advocates for – Michelle West serving double life, Michael Pelletier serving life for pot and Chad Marks serving 40 years. These individuals deserve mercy and have earned it…lets stop with the gratuitous photo ops… 
Rewire reveals additional burdens for women serving time - Special thanks to Victoria Law and REWIRE, for this in depth article: “Women do not choose to have a period,” said Amy Povah, who spent nine years in a federal prison and is now the founder and director of the CAN-DO Foundation, in a phone interview. “If we are going… Kim Kardashian achieves her goal – Alice Johnson is free! - Reason Magazine, and the rest of the nation, has their eye on Alice Marie Johnson and here’s why…read the entire story here
CANDO expresses “hope” in NBC news on Trump’s first commutation - Obama’s ramping up of commutations, which lessens an inmate’s prison time, was extraordinary given the historic rarity of it all, according to advocates. “Everybody was hoping they’d see their name on the list,” said Povah, who herself was granted clemency under President Bill Clinton in 2000 after she was convicted… 
CAN-DO Pot Prisoners in Rolling Stone - CAN-DO worked with Tana Geneva to gather stories for her revealing article for Rolling Stone – click title and read the whole story: Pot Prisoners: Meet Five Victims of the War on Drugs This must-read exposes the ugly underbelly of the drug war by spotlighting five cases – four of… 
Federal Sentencing Review explores Obama’s clemency initiative - Doug Berman’s Federal Sentencing Reporter, together with Vera Institute engaged in an in-depth review of President Obama’s Clemency Initiative. CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah was asked to write about the “women” who received clemency from President Obama, or lack thereof. Sadly, Amy’s article is entitled: Clemency Initiative Favored Male Repeat Offenders Over… 
Truth-out focuses on victims of halfway house closures - CAN-DO performed a survey of halfway house closures that resulted, in part, to the information shared in this article written by Victoria Law for Truth-out. Read the entire story, that references the cases of CAN-DO members Alicia Siller, Carolyn Bell, Lori Kavitz, Crystal Matter and Cedric Lamont Dean, plus quotes… 
The Conspiracy Law – What you don’t know can hurt you… - CAN-DO Founder, Amy Ralston Povah got more time than her kingpin husband or anyone in his entire entire organization of smugglers and dealers even though she was the least culpable. It’s convoluted and hard to believe, which is why we’ve created a video using clips dating back to the 90s, from… 
Huffpost: “Criminal Justice System’s War on Women” - Clinton-era clemency recipient Amy Ralston Povah is profiled in the following Huffpost article regarding women suffering from overly harsh ‘Department of Justice’ policies: What often goes unreported and frighteningly unnoticed is the war the administration is waging on women through the criminal justice system. Women are the fastest growing population… CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah in New York Times - January 26, 2015 Amy Povah, founder of CAN-DO; P.S. Ruckman, a pardon expert, and Sam Morison, former Pardon Staff Attorney for 13 years, who are both members of the CAN-DO advisory board, contributed to this NYTs online debate about “the purpose of pardons.” Using Mark Wahlberg’s request for a pardon… Business Insider publishes our Open Letter seeking clemency for more women - CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah collaborated with The Council* to write an ‘Open Letter’ to President Obama which was published in Business Insider on Dec 12, 2016. CAN-DO coordinated with other advocacy organizations plus reached out to, and secured 42 clemency recipients who attached their name to the letter. Our main… 
Alice Johnson and CAN-DO in KOMO News - Amy Povah conducted a radio interview with KOMO news the day Alice Johnson was set free. We have nothing but positive things to say about Kim Kardashian’s involvement, even though the media wants to question this method. She carried Alice across the goal line for the winning touchdown that led… 
Alice Johnson and Kim Kardashian make a great team! - It just keeps getting bigger and better for Ms Alice Johnson! Thank you Kim Kardashian for committing to help #FreeAlice!!! To learn more about Alice Johnson please go to her profile page, filled with links and more. Alice Marie Johnson has expressed her “deep and heartfelt gratitude.” According to a… 
Fox 11 News Interviews Amy Povah the day Alice Johnson was set free - Morning of June 6, 2018, CAN-DO President, Amy Povah said her phone was blowing up with text messages to “turn on CNN.” The night before Amy had communicated with Alice that her release was imminent; even likely it would happen in six days on June 12th, but this was Wednesday… 
Obama hits milestone, but too few women – Atlantic - President Obama shatters glass ceiling by granting more than 1,000 clemencies, but only 68 were women! by, JULEYKA LANTIGUA-WILLIAMS Among the recipients in the latest group are Donna McDaniel, Cindy Shank, and Lisa Ball, all of whom received support from CAN-DO, an advocacy organization that promotes the… Huffpost Op Ed: We Must Reduce Mass Incarceration in the U.S., Not Escalate It - Huffpost contributor, Amy Povah weighs in on Sessions’ directive that will take this nation back to the Dark Ages of the 90s “dumb on crime,” era. Read the entire Huffpost Op Ed… Women Speak Out Against Sessions New Directive in Truthout - Michelle West, Ramona Brant, Alice Johnson, Nkechi Taifa and Amy Povah in Truthout about AG Session’s new directive that targets women and makes them serve time for illegal acts committed by men, who often go free for providing “substantial assistance.” In the federal prison in California, Michelle West described people… 
Washington Post, NY Post, NY Daily News, Fox News, Dallas Morning News quotes CAN-DO about Carol Richardson - CAN-DO issued a statement on Friday, June 8th regarding Carol Richardson’s recidivism that was reported widely by the press. Fortunately, we provided some insights that balanced some of tone and tenor of the comments provided by her prosecutor and judge. Our position is that Carol does not belong in prison.… 
“Women in Prison” in Congressional Quarterly - Sarah Glazer has written a thorough report on Women in Prison for Congressional Quarterly, citing CAN-DO, quoting CAN-DO President Amy Povah, and closing the article with the following: However, Povah, whose organization CAN-DO helped women prisoners file clemency petitions, expressed dismay at the small number of women — 106 —… 
Ramona Brant’s long road to freedom has abruptly taken a turn – may she RIP - CANDO interviewed Ramona Brant less than two months after she was set free. Listen to her share, in detail, the day she learned President Obama granted her clemency. Everyone at CANDO is devastated to learn of Ramona Brant’s passing that occurred while she was sleeping night before Sunday. We have… 
Vice reveals the truth about BOP’s failure to provide feminine hygiene products - Thanks in part to our CAN-DO survey, Vice wanted more information and went digging for the truth about BOP’s failure to comply with their own operations memo to provide free feminine hygiene products to prisoners, as promised. Two and a half months after guaranteeing free feminine hygiene products for female… 
CAN-DO’s Amy Povah recognized by High Times on Women’s Day! - Today is International Women’s Day and HIGH TIMES would like to recognize and salute the women in our community who have worked shoulder-to-shoulder to help bring about the legalization of cannabis in its various forms. Legalization, decriminalization and putting an end to the injustices of marijuana arrests have been… Michelle West and William Underwood in Truthout - Victoria Law of Truthout focused on Michelle West, William Underwood and Leonard Pelletier who were championed by the media, clemency advocates, politicians and high profile celebs. Most believe these people have already served far too many years in prison and deserved clemency. Tragically, they were denied. “If you read Leff’s… 
CAN-DO in the Outline – Post Clemency Intiative - The Outline featured several clemency recipients in an article by Marisa Aveling, including Schearean Means; #5 on the CAN-DO Top 25 Women. “I think clemency was Obama’s way of performing triage on the broken criminal justice system, and for that I respect him tremendously,” said Amy Povah, founder of CAN-DO, a… 
CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah in The Hill Pushing CJ Reform - CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah is taking on Senator Tom Cotton because he’s holding up a bipartisan bill for criminal justice reform entitled The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015. Senator Cotton is from Amy’s home state of Arkansas but it was her home town of Charleston, Arkansas that created… Huffpost Op Ed on Federal Halfway House Closures - Due to hundreds of emails, letters and phone calls from prisoners panicking due to halfway house closures, CAN-DO conducted a survey and the results were worse than we expected. Even prisoners who were leaving the very next day have had their halfway house dates pulled. Many had signed what we… 
U.S. News reports on pot lifers, Michael Pelletier and John Knock - CAN-DO Foundation founder Amy Ralston Povah, a clemency recipient herself who helped prepare Pelletier’s application, says she’s holding out hope that Obama will issue a final list of commutations on Friday. “If a paraplegic serving life for pot is not worthy, then who is?” Povah says. “It’s frustrating, because you’re… The irony of David Barren’s clemency in Reason… - CAN-DO Vice President Anrica Caldwell worked with C.J. Ciarmella, a reporter for Reason to delve into the ironic nature of her fiancé, David Barren’s clemency: “I’ve been commuted,” he told Caldwell in a flat voice, before pausing to take a deep breath, “to 30 years.” Caldwell says she went cross-eyed for… Tysha Williams of Studio 3 Hollywood interviews CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah - Tysha Williams is an actress and activist that tackles both serious and fun issues on her new online tv series, Studio 3 Hollywood. On December 4, 2017, Studio 3 released Tysha’s interview with CAN-DO founder Amy Povah. They quickly get to the nitty gritty of what life is like for…
Drug War Stories profiled Amy Povah of CAN-DO - Drug War Stories interviewed Amy Povah of CAN-DO in a Q and A about her activism, Obama’s clemency initiative, the drug war, the Trump administration, and what is on the horizon at CAN-DO. Read the whole story here. Truthout quotes CAN-DO’s concern over militarization of BOP - The appointment of retired Army General Mark S. Inch to head the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a major blow to those working for prison reform under Trump. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on August 1, 2017 that Inch would be taking over the position. In the past, Inch… CAN-DO’s Amy Povah and Miquelle West on Fox 11 News - Fox 11’s Christine Divine aired a segment devoted entirely to President Obama’s clemency project on August 19th, at 10:30 pm PT. It began with the story of Josephine Ledezma, followed by an interview with CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah and Miquelle West, daughter of Michelle West who is currently #2 on… 
NATIONAL TOWN HALL: The Clemency Initiative - Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America hosted: National Town Hall: The Clemency Initiative that aired, nationwide on Dec 19, 2016 Panelists include: Van Jones, former President Obama advisor Amy Povah, recipient of clemency Sandy Ogilvy, Catholic University Professor Robert Ehrlich Jr., former Maryland Governor Watch the program here: … Huffpost – Clemency was not wasted on Carol Richardson and here’s why - The CAN-DO Foundation supported Carol Richardson’s clemency. She was #8 on the CAN-DO Top 25 Women that deserved clemency. Her relapse is the perfect example why we believe that addiction is a medical issue, not a criminal issue. There is more to her story than what was reported on by… Business Insider tackles the issue of two few women getting clemency. - Excerpts: “With about four months to go before Obama’s term ends, time is running out to even that proportion, according to Amy Povah, a former federal inmate whose 24-year sentence was commuted by President Bill Clinton in 2000.” “Povah, who recently spoke about her clemency in the documentary “Incarcerating US,”… Vice writes about Crystal Munoz; 19 years for pot! - “Crystal is one of the few women I’ve worked with that has an opportunity to reunite with her daughters before they become women, before they grow out of the stage where they need their mothers to be hands-on,” reflected Amy Povah, the founder of CAN-DO Justice Through Clemency. Read the… Huffpost: Still a man’s world…especially for clemency - Published 01/12/2017 03:39 pm ET | An alarming number of women, including first offenders have been denied clemency even if they fit all the criteria laid out by the Obama admin-istration, such as Lori Kavitz, Melissa Trigg and many more. Only 76 of the 1,176… individuals who received a commuted… 
Lavonne Roach and Ferrell Scott in Raw Story - Lavonne Roach’s mother needs a liver and cannot survive much longer – will President Obama reunite this mother/daughter before it’s too late? Tana Ganeva writes about Lavonne’s desperation to see her mother and Ferrell Scott – serving life for marijuana – who was denied clemency in…Raw Story. “Amy Povah, who… 
Women Have Been Failed by Obama’s Clemency Program – The Establishment - CAN-DO Fondation cited in the following article entitled: Obama’s Clemency Program Has Failed Incarcerated Women As of January 17, 2017, over 1,385 inmates had received clemency or been pardoned; only around 90 of those people are women, as far as Amy Povah, founder and president of the CAN-DO Foundation, can… 
Yale Law Students spotlight Clemency Applicants in Mic Op Ed - Yale Law Students, Xiaonan “April” Hu and Theo Torres, wrote an Op Ed that was published in Mic on December 30, 2016 that spotlights numerous clemency applicants that meet all the criteria of Clemency Project 2014, who are still waiting to learn whether their suffering will finally be over – or… 
Vera Institute focuses on lack of clemency for women - Vera Institute reached out to CAN-DO for a statement about the lack of women receiving clemency, something we are very passionate about and have devoted countless resources and energy toward. In this article: “The consequences that face the children and loved ones left behind are also often left out of… 
Op Ed in Fusion Urging President to Pardon More Women by Amy Povah - When Amy Ralston Povah was escorted across the compound at FCI Dublin, after President Clinton granted her clemency, she told the women she would never forget them. Fifteen years later, Amy is still fighting to garner attention for the women who have been locked up for decades and need relief.… Honoring Men in Prison on Father’s Day – Huffpost - In honor of Father’s Day, the CAN-DO Foundation has collected a series of quotes, reflections, stories and insights from numerous men inside prison who will not participate in the normal festivities that most of us will enjoy on Sunday, June 18th. Many men have watched their own children grow into… Ferrell Scott and Craig Cesal in Washington Post - On the heels of a list of clemency denials released by the Dept of Justice, on November 29, 2016, reporters reached out to CAN-DO seeking information about select individuals that sent shock waves through the prisoner advocacy organizations, such as pot lifers, Ferrell Scott and Craig Cesal who were both… Reason tackles the conspiracy law using case of CAN-DO President, Amy Povah - CAN-DO President Amy Povah was the focal point of an article in Reason that used her case as an example to emphasize what is wrong with this nation’s conspiracy laws and why there should be more scrutiny and oversight. Read the whole story. Reason: by Lauren Krisai |Apr. 29, 2016… 
Glamour Magazine features CAN-DO Women, Cheryl Howard and LaShonda Hall - CAN-DO is elated to update this Glamour article with the exciting news that Cheryl Howard received clemency on 12/19/16 We want to thank all the hard working volunteers who assisted Cheryl on this journey, such as her daughter Lavithia Howard, Cheryl Ward, Bette Herman Davis, and so many more who… Pot Lifer, Ferrell Scott in High Times - In 2007, Ferrell Scott was sentenced to life in prison, without parole, for possessing and conspiring to sell marijuana. Scott had no priors and has had perfect prison conduct. Yet when he appealed to President Obama for clemency, he was denied. The father of three was beside himself when… CAN-DO in Business Insider October 23, 2016 - “The pace is only getting more frenzied as Obama’s last day in office approaches, said Amy Povah, the founder of CAN-DO, a nonprofit that advocates for clemency applicants. CAN-DO communicates daily with hundreds of inmates and their family members regarding their petitions, according to Povah, who herself was granted… Washington Post – Joy to the lucky and anguish to the disappointed - “It was a great day for those who won the lottery and one more disappointment for everyone in the pipeline who should be on the list,” said Amy Povah, a former inmate and the founder of the CAN-DO Foundation, a clemency advocacy group. Update: Weldon Angelos regained his freedom on… 
‘Thanksgiving in Prison’ by Amy Povah, in the Influence - CAN-DO’s Founder writes about her worst Thanksgiving in prison. This Op Ed captures the essence of what it’s like in a prison visitation room on Thanksgiving day! Prisoners waiting to hear if they will receive clemency are becoming anxious. On October 27, 98 more people were given the best… 
Connie Farris’s story in The Marshall Project - Christine Thomson of the Marshall Project reached out to the CAN-DO Foundation for compelling cases of compassionate release applicants in federal prison, seeking relief under a policy that is almost always denied to worthy candidates, even if they meet all the criteria. We connected Christine with a number of people,… Truthout.org Focuses on Clemency and the Guardian Angel Program - Victoria Law, a reporter for Truthout.org has written another exceptional article about clemency and interviewed several of the CAN-DO/Crack Open the Door Guardian Angels who are assisting clemency applicants. “I don’t understand the logic of the denials,” said Amy Povah, founder and president of CAN-DO Clemency, a national organization that… 
Reuters contacted CAN-DO for intel regarding Clemency Project 2014 - Reuters reached out to the CAN-DO Foundation seeking the names and intel regarding specific cases of clemency applicants who were experiencing difficulties after submitting applications to President Obama’s Clemency Project 2014 (CP14). We had become extremely concerned over several cases, specifically Josephine Ledezma, a prisoner serving a life sentence that… CAN-DO’s Amy Povah and Miquelle West on FOX 11 with Christine Divine - Fox 11 Christine Divine interviewed Amy Povah and Miquelle West, daughter of Michelle West, a prisoner that the CAN-DO Foundation is assisting in her endeavor to receive clemency from President Obama before he leaves office. The Emmy Award winning Christine Divine hosts the Fox show; “22:30” that focuses on a… “Why we Badly Need More Clemencies for Women” in The Influence by Amy Povah - “I Got a 24-Year Sentence for MDMA My Husband Made”—Why We Badly Need More Clemencies for Women by Amy Ralston Povah for the Influence – a cutting edge publication that focuses primarily on the war on drugs. September 22nd, 2016 by Amy Povah July 7, 2000 was the greatest day of… 
CAN-DO in The Daily – Last symposium of the year for NCIFIWG! - On Friday, Dec 3, the National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls conducted their final symposium of the year at University of Washington. CAN-DO Founder was one of three on the clemency panel: “Amy Povah, founder of the CAN-DO foundation, created a list of the top-25 women… 
Life of the Law focuses on “Clemency” - A student at Columbia Journalism school, Shandukani Mulaudzi chose to write about the 2014 Initiative on Executive Clemency for her Masters project. To learn more, she reached out to Clemency expert, Amy Ralston Povah for insight into the murky world of who does and does not receive clemency. Several emails and… 
Amy Povah on Lions of Liberty podcast - Amy Povah was interviewed by John Odermatt for Lions of Liberty’s Felony Friday. She talked about her case, the conspiracy law, clemency and why we need more conspiracy cases scrutinized to understand the fundamental injustices and abuse that people fall pretty to, associated with the plea bargain system in this… 
Malik King on Lions of Liberty podcast - Malik King was interviewed by John Odermatt of Lions of Liberty on April 14th for their segment called Felony Friday, about his communications with prisoners and the relationship he has garnered over the years that has made him a legend inside the prison system by so many who rely on his emails… 
Podcast of #Cut50’s Jessica Sloan, Brittany Byrd and Amy Povah RE: Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act… - On August 3rd at 8:30 pm ET, Amy Povah, founder of the Clemency for All Nonviolent Drug Offenders (CAN-DO) Foundation, Jessica Jackson, #cut50 National Director & Co-Founder, and Brittany K. Barnett, #cut50 Fellow, discussed the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act. Watch the teach–in to learn more about the challenges women… Truthout focuses on Clemencies and the Guardian Angel Program - Victoria Law, a reporter for Truthout.org has written another exceptional article about clemency and interviewed several of the CAN-DO/Crack Open the Door Guardian Angels who are assisting clemency applicants. “I don’t understand the logic of the denials,” said Amy Povah, founder and president of CAN-DO Clemency, a national organization that… Anrica Caldwell’s Op Ed in The Influence - Anrica Caldwell knows all too well what it’s like to stress over the clemency lottery each time the list is released by the White House. She shares her emotions in an Op Ed, relatable to thousands who also have a loved one in federal prison, waiting to learn whether they… Amy Povah in Reason Magazine on Drug Conspiracy Cases - Amy Povah started CAN-DO to not only promote and spotlight people seeking clemency, she included her desire to educate the public about the conspiracy law in the CAN-DO mission statement. It hasn’t been easy because reporters typically have never heard about it and/or don’t understand it enough to want to… 
Revolt TV mini doc on Miquelle West’s quest to free Michelle West - Watch this short documentary by Revolt TV about Miquelle West’s quest to free her mother Michelle West, #2 on the CAN-DO Top 25. CAN-DO in High Times – Where are the women? - On President Obama’s last day in office, he granted another 330 commutations to nonviolent drug offenders, bringing his total number of clemencies to 1,715—more than the last 12 presidents combined. But clemency advocates argue that Obama’s clemency policy consistently overlooked one group: women. “We’re upset he didn’t increase the number… Michelle West’s story in Fusion by Casey Tolan - How a woman who’s served 23 years in prison raised her daughter from behind bars by Casey Tolan for Fusion Please read/share this article on social media and sign Michelle’s Change.org petition. Michelle is #2 on the CAN-DO Top 25. 
CAN-DO Op Ed in San Francisco Chronicle – Thanksgiving pardons - Instead of sleepwalking through the obligatory turkey “pardon” on the White House Lawn this year, I wish President Obama would grant some real pardons — to humans. There is no better gift than hearing that your loved one has been freed from an unjust sentence. I should know.
Clemency Recipients Angie Jenkins, Ramona Brant and Amy Povah in People Magazine - Angie Jenkins, Ramona Brant and Amy Povah are featured in People’s Online Magazine as the REAL WOMEN of Orange is the New Black. Netflix is releasing the new season of Orange is the New Black and People Magazine provides a glimpse into the “real lives” of the characters on OITNB,… 
USA Today interviews Jason Hernandez at CAN-DO VIGIL for POWs at the White House - CAN-DO Founder and President, Amy Ralston Povah has had a busy November – first attending the Koch Institute’s Advancing Justice Summit in New Orleans from Nov. 3rd – 8th and more recently attending the Drug Policy Alliance’s conference in Washington DC. Amy never goes to DC without taking posters of… “Weed not a factor” in war on drugs - Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly made headlines for his comments on Sunday’s Meet the Press, when he pronounced that marijuana is “not a factor” in the War on Drugs and that solving the nation’s drug problem does not involve “arresting a lot of users.” Hmm… since when? If… Amy Ralston Pofahl received clemency on July 7, 2000 in SF Chronicle - When Amy Ralston Povah – then Pofahl, received clemency on July 7, 2000, she had no idea when she woke up that day that a 9 year, 3 month long nightmare was about to end. Neither did the prison staff at FCI Dublin, where she was incarcerated. So imagine her… 
Cheryl Howard – Life – Received Clemency on 12/19/16 - Fox News 13 in Tampa interviewed Cheryl’s daughter, Lavithia Howard and CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah – watch the video: Message from Cheryl Howard to CAN-DO Founder Amy Povah: “WOW!! I am OVER JOYED right now!! God said he would restore everything that the canker worm and the locust ate up!!… 
LaShonda Hall in Knoxville Mercury News - Tray Rock volunteered to be a “Guardian Angel” for several clemency applicants, including LaShonda Hall. She organized a rally in LaShonda’s hometown of Knoxville that was covered by The Knoxville Mercury news: The female population serving time in prison increased more than 700 percent between 1980 and 2014, according to the… Clemency Recipient Donella Harriel in the Influence - Donella Harriel has been writing to CAN-DO founder Amy Povah and CAN-DO Prison Outreach Coordinator Malik King for over a year. But after the euphoria of winning the clemency lottery on August 3rd wore off, Amy started getting emails from Donella expressing concern about whether she would be released, due… Lori Kavitz in Washington Post and USA Today - Lori Kavitz, #10 on the CAN-DO Top 25 was featured in the Washington Post on November 29, 2016 CAN-DO pitched the story to Tana Ganeva who was interested in writing about select clemency applicants who had filed for a sentence commutation. The Watch Opinion by Tana Ganeva Lori’s 24 year sentence… 
Alice Marie Johnson and CAN-DO in Vocativ - Alice Marie Johnson is #1 on the Top 25 Women Who Deserve Clemency Alice Marie Johnson has been in prison for 20 years, serving a life sentence without parole for a non-violent drug crime. The 60-year-old mother was sentenced in 1996 for “attempted possession” of cocaine in Alabama. She claims… 
CAN-DO in Buzzfeed News - CAN-DO President Amy Povah was interviewed by Buzz Feed and is quoted in the following article, as are two members of the CAN-DO Advisory Board, Dennis Cauchon, founder of The Clemency Report and Beth Curtis, founder of Life For Pot: Obama’s Potential Clemency Push Can’t Come Soon Enough, Campaigners Say… Huffpost Op Ed on conspiracy law by Amos Irwin - Amos Irwin reached out to CAN-DO for input regarding the conspiracy law for an Op Ed he authored for Huffpost. He focused heavily on Barbra Scrivner, profiled on the CAN-DO site for years leading up to Barbra Scrivner’s long overdue freedom and justice through clemency. Exposing the dark side of… Mary Ziman in Truthout: The Need for Compassionate Release – TWO PART SERIES - Victoria Law has written yet another compelling piece on the many negative aspects of mass incarceration. Aging, Sick and Incarcerated: The Need for Compassionate Release The CAN-DO Foundation provided Truthout with a few cases of women who are seeking a compassionate release, knowing the odds are greatly stacked against… 
CAN-DO Foundation in Waging Nonviolence.org 10/12/2015 - Comprehensive article by Victoria Law in WagingNonviolence.org about Amendment 782. Oct. 12, 2015 On October 6, the Justice Department announced that nearly 6,000 people in federal prisons will be going home early. The move, U.S. officials told the Washington Post, is an effort to both reduce overcrowding and to provide… 
CAN-DO in Reuters Report about Therese Crepeau - Therese Crepeau – who was #9 on the CAN-DO Top 25 Women Who Deserve Clemency was interviewed by Reuters regarding her early release per Amendment 782 otherwise referred to as “Drugs Minus Two.” She initially went to the halfway house in August and on October 30 had her ankle bracelet removed.… 
CAN-DO’s Founder, Amy Povah on Ed Kalegi’s America Weekend - On June 22, 2016, Ed Kalegi and Christina Stoffo interviewed CAN-DO President and Founder Amy Povah about her work with the CAN-DO Foundation; the clemency project and our marijuana laws. Click the links below to listen or download the interview. Right-click Here to Download the Podcast The interview aired… CAN-DO worked with BBC on article about Family Members of Clemency Applicants - BBC reporter Jessica Lussenhop contacted the CAN-DO Foundation seeking insight to worked together for over a year after Jessica contacted CAN0DO seeking a connection to clemency applicants. Jessica wanted to communicate with several prisoners over the course of many months to determine what it was like to be on… 
Amy Povah on Mark Thompson’s “The Edge” I-heart radio show - The Edge starts with a 10 minute blast of politics from political analyst and journalist Michael Shure talking with well known news caster and radio personality, Mark Thompson; a daily voice in Los Angeles on the most listened to talk radio station in the country, KFI AM 640 (available on the… 
CAN-DO in Mother Jones featuring John Knock and Antonio Bascaro: Serving Life for Pot - Obama Just Granted Clemency to a Pot Lifer. But Dozens More Remain Behind Bars. “We have many senior citizens who have already served decades for marijuana-only crimes that are being ignored.” By Bryan Schatz | Wed Jul. 15, 2015 4:40 PM EDT Go to Mother Jones or read here: Social Title: Obama… CAN-DO in Mother Jones about Pres. Obama’s clemencies - CAN-DO Founder, Amy Ralston Povah was squirming in her seat during the White House convening on Women in Prison on 3/30/2016 because she had just dropped off her dear friend, Angie Jenkins, who she’d served time with at FCI Dublin during the 90s at the White House gate. Unbeknownst to… 
Kindland focuses on pot prisoners Craig Cesal and Michael Pelletier - CAN-DO provided Kindland reporter, Aimee Kuvadia with the cases of Craig Cesal, Patricia Albright and Michael Pelletier as potential subjects for the following article. Craig Cesal became the anchor story and both Patricia and Michael are profiled therein. Read the entire story on Kindland “The conspiracy statute is the most… 
Michelle West in Humans of New York and TruthOut.org - Michelle West was featured in Humans of New York and is currently on the HONY homepage for Brandon’s “Inmate Stories” series. Michelle is in a photo with her brother, instead of the original post because a prison guard (in the background) complained and asked that Brandon take down Michelle’s photo,… CAN-DO’s Ramona Brant in Fusion is now free! - Ramona Brant is the centerpiece of an excellent article in Fusion. She embodies how brutal our current criminal justice system exploits women who are already victims of domestic abuse by tossing them into a conspiracy indictment that will hold a spouse responsible for everything their abuser has done – and… Josephine Ledezma and Rita Becerra featured in Fusion Op Ed by Jason Hernandez - Jason Hernandez wrote an Op Ed that was published in Fusion on 1/15/2016 entitled Why hasn’t President Obama granted clemency to a single Latina inmate? about the lack of any Latinas receiving clemency from President Obama. Indeed, to date, there has not been a single Latina to receive mercy of the… 
Ramona Brant in Humans of New York – over half a million likes!!! - Ramona Brant is setting social media on fire – this time on Brandon’s Humans of New York blog and Facebook page. Her image and story has already garnered over half-a-million likes and been shared over 20,000 times. It is a 4-part piece that begins with this tease: “I met… U.S. v Amy Ralston Pofahl (Povah) - The Conspiracy Case Against Amy Ralston Pofahl Amy Ralston Pofahl – (now Povah) was indicted, tried and convicted by the federal government in Waco, Texas in 1991. Amy was assigned a court appointed attorney whose only interest was to solicit a guilty plea from her during the one-year timeframe she…
100th Anniversary of the First Marijuana Raid - CALIFORNIA NORML and COALITION FOR CANNABIS POLICY REFORM held a press conference on the LA City Hall steps to mark an infamous day in history: September 8, 2014 – The disastrous legacy of the war on marijuana will be addressed at a press conference to mark the 100th anniversary of…