Supporting Women After Incarceration: A Pathway to Upward Mobility

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

The rate of women’s incarceration has grown exponentially in recent decades, yet reentry support remains inadequate and gender-neutral approaches often miss critical needs. Community-based organizations play a vital role in addressing these gaps. For 25 years, College and Community Fellowship (CCF) has empowered women impacted by the legal system to pursue higher education and transform their lives. Grounded in member-driven feedback and qualitative data, CCF has expanded its offerings to include workshops focused on personal development, leadership, and professional growth. These holistic, trauma-informed initiatives support successful reintegration and foster long-term stability. By centering education and agency, CCF continues to build pathways to equity, justice, and upward mobility for women navigating reentry.

Sub Unit

• Area VI. The Criminal Justice System / 50. Prisoner Reentry

Individual Presentations

• Strive and Thrive: Technical Assistance for Institutions of Higher Learning Serving Women Impacted by the Legal System - Lisette B. Hughes, College and Community Fellowship

• Engaging in Civic Discourse after Incarceration: P.O.W.E.R and V.O.I.C.E - Minerva Coffie, College and Community Fellowship

• Soular Sistas: Academic Support Services and Holistic Support in Reentry - Ebony Abel, College and Community Fellowship

Chair

• Nadia Lopez, College and Community Fellowship

Discussants

• Lisette B. Hughes, College and Community Fellowship

• Minerva Coffie, College and Community Fellowship

• Ebony Abel, College and Community Fellowship

Organized by a Division or external group?

College and Community Fellowship