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After jail, Selena finds herself “at the right place doing the right thing”

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This blog post is first in our series on the 48,000 obstacles to re-entry formerly incarcerated people face when they return to society.

As formerly incarcerated women try to reclaim their lives and their families, their quest for stability is jeopardized by tens of thousands of collateral consequences as a result of their incarceration. These barriers to reentry can be very discouraging to those who have been recently released from prison and are eager to embrace their newfound freedom. Selena, a new resident to at A New Way of Life (ANWOL), hasn’t allowed the obstacles she’s faced during her reintegration to throw her off track from achieving the goals she has set for her life.

Selena’s journey to reentry began less than a year ago when she was faced with a decision about where she would go upon her release from county jail.

“My cycle of incarceration started when I was 20 years old. I was in and out of the county jail for about a year until I finally caught a case for burglary; they gave me six months for it. That was the biggest case that I’d ever got, and it’s put me on probation for three years.

“I was struggling in between going back to my area, going to the hood, or going to a land that I never met, which was soberness and recovery homes. I wasn’t familiar with that, so it was really hard for me.”

Before coming to ANWOL, Selena, now 22 years old, had a few false starts as she struggled to find a stable living environment. There was too much temptation to engage in old behaviors while living with her grandmother and when she began drinking again, she was kicked out Shields for Families due to a DUI. Selena did not allow these instances to discourage her from trying to make a better life for herself and her son.

“I had to really grasp that I was out and that I wanted something new. I did not want to go back in. Because I remember being in jail and asking God, ‘Please get me out, help me.’”

She then joined Alcoholic Center for Women, where her counselor in the program directed her to ANWOL. Since coming to ANWOL, Selena experienced stability for the first time in her life and is learning not to let her past define her.

“ANWOL has shown me that there are so many opportunities in life. They motivate me to be a mom and fight for my rights. They’ve taught me that yeah, my past is my past, but I don’t have to wear it every day. I don’t have to be that person every day, and that’s a big thing for me.”

Through her participation in ANWOL, Selena has gotten involved with Women Organizing for Justice (WOJO). WOJO is a six-month training program that fosters critical analysis of the criminal justice system, teaches the history of civil rights movements, identifies barriers to social justice and provides advocacy opportunities to affect policy and systems change.  Selena graduates from the cohort in April.

Her involvement in WOJO has been an enormous help on her journey.

“My mom used drugs my whole life, so I didn’t really have a family, and I had to fend for myself. The women of WOJO have guided and supported me like how a mother nurtures a child. I am becoming who I am because of all that they are teaching me.” 

Selena also  joined All of Us or None, a grassroots organization that works to restore the human rights of formerly incarcerated people and those still incarcerated, which taught her about “Ban the Box” and her right to vote. She is now confidently applying for jobs and is excited to vote for the first time in the upcoming primaries.

Selena has not allowed her probation to cripple her, and in addition to regaining custody of her 4-year-old son, she is now confidently applying for jobs and plans to attend college so that she can eventually begin a career as a drug counselor. She graduates from Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center with her GED in June.

“I feel like there was a reason why I struggled in and out of using. I went through such a hard time because God wanted me to leave that area of my life and the experiences that I went through so that I could help somebody else.”

Even though Selena struggled during the first few months to stay sober, her faith, ANWOL, and her involvement in programs like WOJO and AOUON has kept her motivated throughout her reentry journey. Her eyes are now open to life’s opportunities, and she is determined more than ever before to stay focused. She fought for her sobriety and continues to fight every day.

“I try to be as involved in programs as much as I can now because it motivates me and it reminds me that I’m at the right place doing the right thing.”

 

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The 48,000 obstacles to reentry

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There are 48,000 collateral consequences that formerly incarcerated people face upon release from prison or jail. These systemic and often life-long obstacles are significant barriers to successful reentry because they limit or prohibit people with criminal records from accessing employment, occupational licensing, housing, voting, education, and other opportunities. In many cases, these penalties are not even related to the crimes committed, and they can limit people with conviction histories in some surprising ways. Some of the more outrageous consequences include:

  • Denial of a Bingo Caller License
  • Denial of a Dog Walker License
  • Denial of Car Salesmen License
  • Cannot serve on PTA Board

 

Some of the collateral consequences unique to California include issues related to maintaining or obtaining occupational licenses, family/domestic rights, and access to educational opportunities and benefits.

The 48,000 burdens loom over the heads of formerly incarcerated people as they attempt to move forward in their lives. These people have paid their debt to society. Such obstacles to reentry create a system that ultimately jeopardizes formerly incarcerated people’s quest for stability.

In a new series on our blog, we will explore the impact that such barriers have had on the women housed at A New Way of Life Re-Entry Project (ANWOL). We’ll talk to new residents in the program, as well as those who have transitioned to more independent living. You will journey with them as they share the experience of reclaiming  their lives.

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ANWOL Resident Veronica Is Discharged from Probation

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As noted in a report by the Vera Institute of Justice and the Safety and Justice Challenge, “Women often become involved with the justice system as a result of efforts to cope with life challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and significant physical or behavioral health struggles, including those related to past histories of trauma, mental illness, or substance use.”

This rings true for many of the women who transition through A New Way of Life Re-Entry Project (ANWOL). Veronica, an ANWOL resident who recently discharged from probation, credits the organization as giving her the safe space needed to reach her goals.

“Safe spaces are important because if I’m worried about my basic needs, like food and shelter, then I cannot concentrate on myself or succeeding and moving forward and doing something for myself. If you’re always worried about survival then you can’t live.”

Prior to ANWOL, Veronica had never experienced a stable living situation. As the daughter of a drug addicted mother, Veronica’s life was riddled with trauma, including sexual abuse, from its very beginning. At the age of 15, Veronica entered a marriage with the hope that she was moving to a better situation for her life. Soon after her marriage, she found herself living in a nightmare.

“I married a very, very abusive man. During the course of 20 years, he beat me unmercifully. During that time, we were selling drugs and robbing people. It was just anything for him, and anything he said, I had to do.”

One night, her husband shot her in the ankle, and now she suffers a lifelong disability.

As she cycled in and out of prison, Veronica realized that she truly wanted a meaningful future.

“The revelation hit me about eight months before I was scheduled to go home. A lady inside asked me, ‘if you died today, who would show up to your funeral and what would they say?’ I couldn’t pick five people on my hand that would show up… That was the worst feeling in the world for me. But then it’s like ‘Get off the pot – what are you going to do?’”

Following this revelation, Veronica began doing research and looking for opportunities post release.

“I knew I couldn’t do this by myself or with the same mentality and the same people. You can’t do the same thing and expect that it’s going to be different.”

Now, for the first time since she was a teenager, she is not under any mandatory supervision.

“I knew how to live in society, but I was living for the next day. But now I could live and kind of plan a little bit for a future and I was never able to do that before. I had to live in the moment; I was surviving. I was never living, and now I finally have a chance to live.”

With her newfound freedom, Veronica realizes she deserves to embrace and live a happy life.

“My motivation is different now – it’s not for anyone, it’s finally for me. I’m trying to build my relationship with my daughter again. My daughter is 24 years old and she doesn’t know her mother. I’m trying to build a relationship with me again, like ‘Who are you? Who am I?’”

Veronica is currently a dispatcher for a construction company and hopes to one day open a battered women’s shelter that will cater to both women and their children.

“Life is exciting to me at almost 50. It takes some longer than others I guess, but I’ve got it.”

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All of Us Or None Year End Celebration

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All of Us Or None Year End Celebration

 

The All of Us or None year end gathering was a time for members of the Los Angeles and Long Beach chapters to come together for a meal and to celebrate the many struggles and accomplishments of 2017.

All of US or None (AOUON) is a national organizing effort to center and grow the voices of formerly incarcerated and convicted people and their loved ones in the fight to end mass incarceration. The national, grassroots, civil rights movement was founded by a group of formerly incarcerated people, including A New Way of Life founder Susan Burton in the early 2000s. Ms. Burton continues to chair the LA County chapters of AOUON, and ANWOL collaborates closely with the other chapters across California.

This final meeting of the year sparked a new tradition where the local All of Us or None chapters could come together to reflect on successes and highlight some of the individuals that always show up and contribute to the work. Whether it’s registering voters, making phone calls to City Hall, or coming to the Board of Supervisors meetings, these are community members going above and beyond to do their part to end mass incarceration and the inhumane treatment of our incarcerated loved ones. During the meeting certificates of appreciation were awarded to some of the most outstanding members of the Long Beach and Los Angeles chapters.

AOUON members receiving certificates
AOUON members receiving certificates

“The end of year celebration was an opportunity for us to highlight and recap the efforts of our student organization,” said Tanu, member of the Long Beach chapter. “It was also inspiring to hear about the work of so many others involved with building this movement and to also put faces to the names.”

In addition to the certificates, members shared success stories and updates were given on the organizations current campaigns like, bail reform and Assembly Bill 535, which restores the right to serve on a jury to people with convictions. ANWOL brought dozens of gifts that were distributed via a raffle. Delicious food was catered by Revolutionario North African Tacos and generously underwritten by Adam Vine of Cage-Free Cannabis.

“I feel that we should continue this on for the years to come,” said Ingrid Archie, ANWOL staff and Prop 47 Advocate. “With such a steep hill to climb to overcome those 4,800 state barriers and 48,000 federal barriers to reentry, it’s important that we reflect on our successes and recognize all of the hard work that our members do throughout the year.”

The meeting, which had opened with the All of US Or None pledge, which speaks to a deep commitment to second chances and supporting and loving each other, each and every one of us, ended with one of the great call and responses of the current struggle for justice and human rights, “All of Us?” Ms. Burton called out, “Or None!” the crowd roared.

The Los Angeles chapter of All of US or None meets at 5:30 pm the 2nd Tuesday of every month at Watts Labor Community Action Committee, 10950 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90059. The Long Beach chapter meets the 2nd Thursday of every month at Building Health Communities, 920 Atlantic Ave. Suite 101, Long Beach, CA 90813.

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A New Way Of Life’s Annual Gala Is Here

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A New Way Of Life’s Annual Gala Is Here

 

The time has come for the annual A New Way of Life (ANWOL) Gala and Awards reception. The 19th annual event will take place Sunday, December 3, at The L. A. Hotel Downtown.

On the morning of the gala, ANWOL residents will receive makeovers donated by Chanel. After their makeup sessions, the women will ride to the event in a decked out party bus.

Upon arrival residents will join the red carpet pre show with celebrity presenters like actor Chike Okonkwo, known for his role in “Being Mary Jane” and “Birth of a Nation;” “Shameless” actor Sheldon Bailey; actress Taja V. Simpson of “Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween;” actress Ptosha Storey of “Empire” and “If Loving You Is Wrong” and retired Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza.

Laura Govan of Basketball wives fame, actress Tammy Townsend of Disney Channel’s “KC Undercover,” music artists, ANWOL board members, politicians, community and religious leaders and more will also grace the carpet.

Following the red carpet experience, the guests will gather inside for the dinner and ceremony. Ingrid Archie of A New Way of Life will kick off the ceremony with a presentation about “The Progression” which is the gala’s theme. Archie’s presentation will give attendees a glimpse into what many women go through as they progress from where they are to where they need to be.

“We are often over criminalized and when we come home we are left to pick up the pieces to an invisible puzzle coupled with little or no resources. As a woman goes through A New Way of Life, they get critical resources and support that are not usually available in our communities,” explains Archie. “And what happens is that women are able to thrive by being able to receive supportive services in order to reunify with family and successfully reintegrate back into society.”

This year’s “The Progression” theme demonstrates the vision of marching forward to create safe spaces to heal and step into a new way of life.

The 2017 honorees are champions of the movement to mend and end the trauma and consequences of convictions and incarceration, while advancing system change towards a more just and humane criminal system.

Senator Holly J. Mitchell, recipient of the Community Champion Award, has spent her career fighting poverty, advancing women’s rights, reforming the criminal justice system and creating a California in which all people can thrive. She has authored dozens of landmark laws including putting an end to policies that drive families deeper into poverty; limiting the unfair seizure of personal assets; ending sentencing enhancements for low level drug crimes; decriminalizing prostitution for child victims of sex trafficking, and substantive reforms to the juvenile justice system.

Honorees also include Impact Justice (Movement Builder Award), Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin L. Crump, esq (Industry Impact Award), and A New Way of Life’s Legal Department (Flozelle Woodmore Memorial Award).


The ANWOL Legal department is humbled and excited to be the recipient of an award. “Flozelle fought for what others said was impossible and made it possible. By never turning away those who came to her for help, she lived by the words ‘none of us are free until all of us are free.’ We strive to follow her example, and are still working on stretching our imaginations as radically and powerfully as she did in order to achieve the impossible,” said the ANWOL legal department.

ANWOL legal team member, Mihal Ansik and her clients contributed to the efforts to pass SB 213, which streamlines the criminal record exemption process for family members – such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles – who are trying to keep children in their families out of foster care by becoming caregivers.

This will be the first ANWOL gala experience for many of the women affiliated with the organization. A New Way of Life office associate Myesha Johnson is looking forward to the big night.

“Since joining A New Way of Life this will be my first year attending and I am humbled and super excited to celebrate this year’s honorees that are helping to end the consequences of convictions and incarceration,” said Johnson.

Each ANWOL gala is special and serves as an opportunity to celebrate the organization’s accomplishments of the past year and to invite more people to join the movement so that we can go into the next year even stronger.

Sponsors for the event include the Drug Policy Alliance, The California Endowment, the Office of Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, 2nd District, the Office of Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price, Affordable Housing CDC, Bill Resnick and Michael Stubbs, Office of Senator Steven Bradford, District 35; Californians for Safety and Justice, Open Society Foundations, Omnia Foundation, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Pacific Premier Bank, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children/All Of Us Or None, Lucy’s Auto, Keller Williams Realty – Silicon Beach, Andrew’s Auto Service Center and the Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership. In-kind sponsors are Murad, Oilmi Beauty, Tim Sher, Sheldon Bailey, Footnanny, Tavis Smiley, and more.

If you would like to attend, visit anewwayoflife.org to purchase tickets. Tickets will also be available at the door. The red- carpet reception begins at 5pm followed by a dinner and awards ceremony at 6pm. The L. A. Hotel Downtown is located at 333 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071.

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