“We are living in a watershed moment where criminal justice reform is being embraced across government sectors. We need to take advantage of growing awareness to economically empower people who were formerly incarcerated, support justice and revitalize communities in the process.”
Kelly Orians is an attorney who has dedicated her career to criminal justice reform in Louisiana. Orians is co-director of Rising Foundations, an organization that provides pathways to self-sufficiency for formerly incarcerated people. Rising Foundations offers a unique workforce development program that promotes small business development, access to safe and affordable housing, and financial security, while rebuilding neighborhoods.
Earlier in her career, she served as a staff attorney for Orleans Parish Public Defenders in the Special Litigation Division, focusing on reentry. She also served as a law clerk for the UCLA Labor Center and the Los Angeles Black Worker Center, and was campaign coordinator for the Campaign to End Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles.
In recent years, she has also volunteered her time to serve on the board of The First 72+, a transitional home and re-entry program and to found the Communal Re-Entry Fund.
Orians earned her J.D. at UCLA Law School and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado.
Organization:
Rising Foundations
Area of Focus:
Criminal justice reform/financial opportunity
Fellowship Project:
Improve employment outcomes and financial security for formerly incarcerated people by addressing an often-ignored barrier: access to a driver’s license after prison. Project will involve research, development of a toolkit to provide direct services, and advocacy plan for policy reforms.
Final Presentation:
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