CoRA's History

For almost 20 years, alongside directly impacted people, coalitions, and other organizations, CoRA has advocated for numerous bills that have been passed by the New York State legislature. In 2010, eight bills drafted or supported by CoRA were signed into law. In 2019, another fourteen bills that CoRA drafted or supported were enacted as part of a reentry package in the State budget. CoRA’s current legislative priorities are available on the “Our Legislation” page of this website.

CoRA has also sought to effect positive change through administrative advocacy at the New York State level and the New York City level. We regularly meet with administrative agencies and court staff to advocate for administrative changes that will promote the success of people with criminal history. In addition, CoRA members regularly meet to share knowledge and information about direct services work, including reentry-related administrative processes, and the rights of New Yorkers with criminal history.

CoRA’s members first began meeting informally in 2005 to discuss ideas for state legislation and administrative reform that would remove barriers to employment and housing for individuals who had interacted with the criminal punishment system. In 2012, coalition members created a more formal structure and adopted the name “Coalition of Reentry Advocates,” or CoRA. Later, the group adopted a committee structure and elected individuals to serve as CoRA’s leaders.  CoRA’s current co-chairs are Melissa Ader (MAder@Legal-Aid.org) and Gillian Stoddard Leatherberry (GillianS@BronxDefenders.org).