608 MAG May 2021

A Ca mpaig n

fo r Justice

P eggy West-Schroder is the (EXPO) and its Unlock the Vote campaign. Unlock the Vote was created to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions once they are released from prison instead of after they have completed their supervision. Schroder’s interest in criminal justice started early. She was born while her mother was incarcerated, and five of her seven brothers spent time in prison. She graduated from high school in 1988 and attended Milwaukee Technical College to receive a degree in human services. She worked at the Milwaukee County House of Corrections as a pre- employment intern, assisting campaign coordinator for EX- incarcerated People Organizing

people recently released from prison with entering the workforce. From the experience she gained in that position, Schroder expanded the impact in her line of work and started at the New Hope Program as a caseworker. While she was responsible for a variety of cases, she primarily worked

with people transitioning from prison to help them find employment.