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The Ladies of Hope Ministries
Enews & Updates
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The Impact of Incarceration on Parenting
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U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch put it best when discussing the repercussions of women's incarceration at a White House event on March 30, 2016. She said, “put simply, we know that when we incarcerate a woman we often are truly incarcerating a family, in terms of the far-reaching effect on her children, her community, and her entire family network.”
To learn more about the impact incarceration has on parenting and family unity, check out the video of Nerika Jenkins. Jenkins is a member of The LOHM Global Speakers Bureau. She spoke about family reunification and the criminalization of mental health during the virtual launch of the Global Speakers Bureau earlier this month.
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Support Incarcerated Mothers
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May can be a particularly challenging time for incarcerated mothers since they are not at home with their children. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, prisons and jails have restricted visitation making Mother's Day and this month even more heartbreaking.
The LOHM is showing love to mothers who are apart from their children. We partnered with Just Write Community Project, Triple FFF Inc., and The New Phase Inc., to send letters to incarcerated mothers.
If you are interested in writing a letter of support and encouragement, let us know by replying to this newsletter email!
We will share the writing guidelines and a list of mothers with you.
If you know of an incarcerated mom who would appreciate a letter, email us her name, DIN or registration number, date of birth and the address of her facility. We hope you will join us in uplifting these women!
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National Bail Out is a Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers and activists building a community-based movement to support Black folks and end systems of pre-trial detention and ultimately mass incarceration.
In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the collective is bailing out Black mamas and caregivers through the end of May.
Your gift not only helps to release Black Mama's and caregivers, but it also supports them in the critical post-bail out period by providing holistic supportive services such as safe housing, groceries and grief counseling.
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The LOHM has officially launched our EPIC program and we want YOU to apply to be an ambassador!
Our national EPIC legislative network will transform criminal justice policies that disproportionately affect women and girls.
We know the power of collective action and what is possible when groups from across the spectrum work towards mutual goals. Our Ambassadors—through the co-leadership of our women and girls in each community—will look for common ground and areas of cooperation with fellow advocates—even when they do not align on all issues.
When fully implemented, EPIC will do more than create a cadre of advocates, it will build the leadership of directly impacted women and girls, including girls who have experienced parental incarceration. It will demonstrate, time and again, that these impacted women and girls are an incredible asset to our communities, and it will leverage their experience to transform a system that is overly punitive and harmful in its scope and reach.
Ambassadors will be advocates and hold public educational events that focus on:
- Reducing the use of supervision
- Eliminating the fees associated with supervision, including the use of for-profit supervision contracts
- Reducing or eliminating the lasting consequences of supervision and incarceration related to education, training, employment, and housing
- Eliminating re-arrest and re-incarceration for technical violations and developing alternative to revocation systems
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The LOHM has partnered with Crisis Text Line to create an LOHM specific, confidential crisis text line with 24/7 support from health professionals for those who are impacted by incarceration.
If you live in the United States, you can reach out anytime, anywhere, about any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment. Free 24/7 support at your fingertips!
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Yolanda Denise Dean walked out of FCI Dublin on May 18, 2020, after serving over 24 years.
Yolanda was convicted on a Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE) along with her co-defendants. The Ladies of Hope Ministries was contacted by her friends Valerie McMurray and Arthur Williams. Karen Morrison, The LOHM National Advocate, immediately started working on Yolanda's case in September, 2019 as part of our Parole and Probation Accountability Project.
Yolanda Dean is truly a fighter. No matter how hard the prosecutor opposed her motion, we collectively fought back. Yolanda's case was especially difficult because, "the Eighth Circuit ordered Dean's conspiracy be vacated on remand to avoid punishing her twice for the same conduct and to preserve her right to be free from double jeopardy. However, Yolanda had new hope once the First Step Act (FSA), legislation that the Ladies of Hope Ministries was instrumental in passing, was signed into law. Yolanda's Federal Public Defender was able to push back with the factual and legal argument that her CCE was based on the conspiracy conviction and thus is a conviction involving crack. Yolanda won on the concrete FSA guidelines.
The Ladies of Hope Ministries believes all people deserve second chances. We work with women to fight for their freedom. We are not afraid to assist and advocate for cases that involve violence. If there is a change in the law we will fight for those rights to be given back to our clients.
Please join us in welcoming home Yolanda Denise Dean! Her amazing spirit and tenacity is what brought us this victory. It was our pleasure to advocate on behalf of Yolanda Denise Dean. A special shout out to our fierce National Advocate and Epic Program Coordinator, Karen Morrison. She is in the trenches #Fighting4Freedom.
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Woke AF with Danielle Moodie
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Incarcerated People's Health Impacts Us All
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Click the link below to hear Topeka K. Sam and Norris Henderson, the Founder of Voices of the Experienced and Voters Organized to Educate, talk with Woke AF host Danielle Moodie about the impact of COVID-19.
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Tune in this Thursday, May 21st at 8pm EST live on the @CaresMentoring Facebook page.
Join Topeka K. Sam, Dr. Phyllis Hubbard and Meshelle, the Indie Mom of Comedy for an evening of love and laughter. Topeka K. Sam will show what love as advocacy can look like, Dr. Phyllis Hubbard will share permanent weight-loss strategies and Meshelle will brighten your evening with humor!
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Support The Ladies of Hope Ministries in helping disenfranchised and marginalized women and girls transition back into society.
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