Bloomberg Businessweek - USA (2020-09-07)

BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK

3. PEOPLE

41

PAULA HILL ○ 56 →

● TALLAHASSEE ● works for a

bail fund

“Beinghonestwith

you,I don’tlikeeither

BidenorTrump.Biden

signedthe’94crime

bill,whichputa lotof

peopleinjail.A lotof

peopledida lotoflife

sentences.Trumpsigned

theFairSentencingAct,

whichreleaseda lotof

thosepeople.

“IfI’mabletovote,

I havea sayinwhatis

goingonintheworld:

howmytaxesarespent,

howthegovernment

functions,whattheydo

andhowit’sdone.My

voteis justonevote,but

myonevotecanchange

howthelocalschool

boardorthesheriff ’s

department is run.”

TRACEY WILLIAMS ○ 48 �

○ FORT PIERCE ○ truck

driver

“Igotmyrighttovote
backwhenmysentencewas
overturnedin1998.Mycaseis
differentthana lotofothers: I
neverhadanyfines.
“Tovotemeansa lot
tomebecauseit’ssayingthat
I havea voice,I havea sayin
what’sgoingoninthiscountry.
AndI should.SinceI gotout,
I’vejustbeenputtingmyhead
tosomethingthat’slegaland
that’sright.ButI’llbehonest,
it’sbeena struggle.Eventhe
truckdriving—Ihada schooltell
methatnobodywouldhireme,
beinga convictedfelon.Butmy
momtaughtme,‘Alwaysknow
howtosellyourself.’I toldthe
gentlemen,‘Youjustgivemethe
license,I’llworryaboutthejob.’
And I got hired the same day.”
IVEY:

PHOTOGRAPH

BY

STEVEN

WESTBROOK

FOR

BLOOMBERG

BUSINESSWEEK. HILL:

PHOTOGRAPH BY TRISTAN WHEELOCK FOR BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK