Earlier this month, Amanda DuBois, Civil Survival founder, and Tarra Simmons, our Executive Director, participated in the Civic Engagement lecture series sponsored by Freedom Education Project Puget Sound at the Washington Corrections Center for Women. Amanda is also a FEPPS board member. Emily Randall, senate candidate for the 26th district, also attended.
Tarra inspired the women at WCCW with her story of perseverance and success. Tarra’s story encourages women to pursue their dreams once they are released. Tarra also provided the group with an overview of our work and gave a short presentation on basic civics – how a bill becomes a law. She then went on to explain several important bills currently pending in the state legislature that will affect incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. The Legal Financial Obligation reform bill would reduce or eliminate interest on LFO’s. Other bills are aimed at increasing opportunities for Parenting Sentencing Alternatives and creating a statewide Ban the Box law that would eliminate questions about incarceration on initial job applications.
Civil Survival loves working with Freedom Education Program of Puget Sound. FEPPS is dedicated to providing a challenging college curriculum to incarcerated women in Washington who wish to earn credit toward their Associate of Arts and Sciences degrees. FEPPS also provides programs to formerly incarcerated women to help them to continue their college education. Civil Survival is thrilled to collaborate with great organizations like FEPPS that change the lives of formerly incarcerated people through knowledge, skills and empowerment!