When Dorsey Nunn was a young prisoner in San Quentin, he and the other inmates were required to do manual labor, “earning” from eight cents an hour, up to as much as 37 cents. (Prisoners who fought California’s fires could earn up to five dollars. A day.)

After Nunn had served ten years for taking part in a robbery in which an accomplice committed a murder, he hit obstacles to restarting his life—job applications asked about convictions, and employers didn’t hire anyone who checked that box. Landlords didn’t have to rent you a place to live. And you couldn’t vote.

Nunn decided that inmates and people who had served out their sentences needed way different treatment, not only in California, but all across the US. He’s dedicated four decades of his life to that cause, founding All Of Us Or None (AOUON), and Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, crusading to stop long-term solitary confinements, the “new slavery” of prison labor, and all the other practices that make it insanely hard for former prisoners to become responsible members of society.

One of Nunn’s most important victories has been “Banning the Box,” getting the question about past convictions removed from job applications in 150 cities and 37 states. And thanks to his work, Californians on parole can vote.

“We’re not talking about being soft on crime,” says Nunn. “We’re talking about being just on humanity.”