Recognizing the X-Offenders for Community Empowerment for their positive community activism, services for the ex-offender community and their efforts in reducing gun violence in the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, The X-Offenders for Community Empowerment was founded on 2000 by Wayne Jacobs and Steven Blackburn to positively affect the lives of formerly convicted persons and the community at large; and

WHEREAS, It is the mission of the X-Offenders for Community Empowerment (XCE) to empower formerly convicted people to become change agents in mobilizing the community to address issues threatening healthy families and community life; and

WHEREAS, XCE implements programs for education and social activism that further the organizations three objectives 1) Stopping the illegal transfer of guns, 2) Ending economic and social practices that unfairly affect formerly convicted people; and 3) Protecting the voting rights of the formerly convicted; and

WHEREAS, XCE, through monthly self-help “Pardon Me Clinics”, assists formerly convicted people, no longer on probation or parole, to obtain pardons and expungements to help restore their full citizenship rights; and

WHEREAS, XCE has successfully advocated a number of measures that promote their objectives including laws requiring the reporting of lost and stolen guns, legislation allowing summary offenses to be placed in the expungement process; and thwarting provisions that would have denied the vote to anyone on formerly on probation or parole; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the X-Offenders for Community Empowerment be recognized for their positive community activism, services for the ex-offender community and their efforts in reducing gun violence in the City of Philadelphia.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this legislation be presented to Wayne Jacobs and Steven Blackburn evidencing the sincere appreciation of this legislative body for their efforts.

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