This story is written by Kimmy Takata, an advocate for a Clean Slate law in Hawaiʻi.
When I walked out of prison, I wasn't looking for a handout—I was looking for a chance. I had accepted responsibility for my past and was determined to build a different future. But I quickly realized that finishing a prison sentence doesn't always mean your sentence is over.
Without a Clean Slate, your criminal record often speaks before you do.
Every job application becomes a reminder of your past. Every background check brings anxiety. Every interview leaves you wondering if you'll be judged for who you were instead of who you've become.
It wasn't that I couldn't find work. I could find jobs that many people with records are expected to take. But like anyone else, I had dreams. I wanted to work with youth at the Hawaiʻi Youth Correctional Facility, helping young people make different choices than I did. I wanted to compete for state and government positions where my education, lived experience, and passion for helping others could make a difference. Too often, those opportunities seemed out of reach before I even had the chance to tell my story.
There were moments when it would have been easier to give up. After hearing "no" enough times, you begin to wonder if your past will always outweigh your future. That feeling is something many people returning home know all too well.
But I chose not to quit.
I earned my GED, then my Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, and Master's degree in Criminal Justice. I continued serving my community, building trust, and proving through my actions that people can change. Eventually, I earned a position with the Hawaiʻi Correctional System Oversight Commission, and today I proudly serve the State of Hawaiʻi with the Adult Mental Health Division, helping others find hope through peer support.
I was fortunate. Many equally qualified people never get the opportunity I received. They remain locked out of meaningful employment, not because they lack talent, education, or determination, but because a mistake from years—or even decades—ago continues to define them.
Clean Slate is about creating opportunity after accountability. It is about recognizing transformation and removing unnecessary barriers for people who have demonstrated lasting change. When we give people a fair chance to work, contribute, and succeed, we strengthen families, reduce recidivism, and build safer communities.
My story proves that people can change. Imagine how many more lives could be transformed if more people were given the opportunity to show who they are today instead of being permanently judged by who they once were.
After serving time, Kimmy Takata quickly realized that completing a prison sentence doesn't necessarily mean your sentence is over. "Without a Clean Slate, your record often speaks before you do," she notes. She faced barriers to employment after returning home. But she never quit. Kimmy earned her GED, then Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees. She continued serving her community, building trust, and proving through her actions that people can change. For Kimmy, a Clean Slate is about creating opportunity after accountability.
