This March 4th
I’m honoured to speak on an International Women’s Day panel hosted by Success Works Partners and Legrand, advocating for equal rights and opportunities for every woman including those with criminal histories. My journey from prison to purpose underscores why second chances matter.
Panel Invitation Story
Success Works Partners was one of my key supports upon release from prison, providing the guidance I needed during that tough transition. Helping me to find meaningful employment, to help me stay on track with my new life.
I’ve since graduated from their program and moved into full-time employment as an admin and projects coordinator at UR Digital. Now, they’re inviting me back alongside Legrand for this years INW panel on women’s rights and justice, letting me share how such programs spark real change.
Championing Equal Rights & Equal Justice
All women deserve equal chances, equal right & equal justice. Regardless of past mistakes, criminal history shouldn’t bar employment, or growth. I’ve overcome addiction (over seven years clean), regained footing as a mother fighting for my nearly 11-year-old daughter, and now thrive professionally. Policies must “balance the scales” with fair access to jobs, and support systems.
Why It Matters for Women
Women with a criminal record are still women first- Mothers, Daughters, Partners, Friends – and they deserve to be seen as whole people, not just as their worst mistake. When society shuts them out of jobs, housing, and education, it doesn’t just punish one person; it traps families and communities in cycles of disadvantage. Giving women a real second chance means safer communities, stronger families, and kids who get to see their mums rebuilding instead of disappearing.
For women, especially those who’ve been through addiction, violence, poverty, or Undiagnosed conditions like ADHD and autism, the justice system is often the end result of a lifetime of not being properly heard or supported. When those women finally do the hard work to change – getting clean, seeking help, studying, turning up to work every day – they should find doors opening, not slamming shut. Equal rights means being judged on who you are now and what you’re capable of, not permanently defined by a criminal history check.
It matters because representation changes minds. When a woman like me sits on a panel next to employers and community leaders, it shows that “former inmate” and “professional woman” can be the same person. It challenges the quiet discrimination that happens in interviews, rental applications, and courtrooms. Most importantly, it tells other women coming out of prison & all women: you are not alone, you are not beyond hope, and your future can look completely different from your past if people are willing to give you a fair goes.
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