Podcast
In this premiere episode of Empowered from Within, we sit down with Aminah Elster, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Unapologetically HERS, to explore the origins and impact of the Participatory Action Research Leadership Program (PARLP). Designed by and for system-impacted people, PARLP develops incarcerated leaders through peer research, critical skill-building, and direct investment. Aminah discusses the program’s unique recruitment process, how participants conduct research inside, the significance of the $500 stipend, and what meaningful job readiness looks like behind the walls of Central California Women’s Facility. Tune in to hear how incarcerated individuals are preparing not just for employment—but for leadership.
© 2024 Unapologetically HERS – all rights reserved
Nora Igova is a resident of the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF). She has earned AA degrees in Psychology and Sociology and is currently enrolled in Fresno State University. Nora has been an executive body member of the Inmate Advisory Council for the past 6 years, while advocating for policy changes, promoting restorative justice and immigration reforms. She is also a vice chair of the Beyond Incarceration Program, a Peer Support Specialist, Lifescripting facilitator, and a participant of the Participatory Action Research Leadership Program (PARLP) with Unapologetically HERS. Nora is a visionary with an affinity in assisting people with their transformation and personal growth. She is a lifelong learner with a passion for spreading knowledge about positive decision-making, relationship building, and reaching internal freedom.
Tien-Hsiang Mo is currently incarcerated at CCWF. She graduated from Fresno State University with a bachelor’s degree in social science in 2024. Mo is passionate in her pursuit of pro-immigration reform, mass incarceration, and #DropLWOP.
Kristin Rossum is a youthful offender who has currently served 23 years on an LWOP sentence. She has found her purpose and passion in being of service to her community and helping to transform the lives of others in positive ways. In 2021, while incarcerated, she earned a Master of Science degree in Psychology graduating cum laude with honors. Kristin works as a lifescripting facilitator and volunteers as a Peer Support Specialist. She is dedicated to helping her peers overcome and reframe negative life experiences and support their journey toward greater self-advocacy and empowerment. She is also the self-help chairperson for her housing unit and helps coordinate a large team of dedicated facilitators who provide groups to the 510 and 509 rehabilitation programming units. Kristin facilitates several self-help classes throughout the institution including Offender Responsibility, Criminal and Addictive Thinking, and Leadership/Mentorship. From 2019 – 2023, Kristin served as the Inmate Advisory Council Chairperson for two consecutive terms and remains committed to advocating for the needs of her community and social justice reforms within and beyond these walls.
Board Treasurer
Daniela is an activist of color impacted by mass incarceration and community violence. An Oakland native, Daniela is pursuing her Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of California Berkeley. She currently serves as the program consultant for the Berkeley Underground Scholars and is both a member and leader within the Underground Scholars Initiative community. Previously, Daniela was a Case Management Supervisor at Community & Youth Outreach, where she supported youth and young adults in Oakland towards healthy participation with their families and communities through coaching, system navigation, advocacy, and connection to needed resources. Daniela is currently the Deputy Director of the Oakland Department of Violence Prevention, a Certified Life Coach, Co-Founder and Board Treasurer of Unapologetically HERS.
info@unapologeticallyhers.org
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Aminah is a Black feminist, prison abolitionist, legal/policy advocate, and researcher with years of experience managing programs, leading policy advocacy work around criminal justice, and driving participatory action research initiatives.
Aminah is the co-founder and Executive Director of Unapologetically HERS, Healing Experiences through Research Solutions, co-organizer with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and Survived and Punished, independent consultant, and researcher.
Aminah is skilled at building relationships with local and national community-based organizations, policymakers, and system partners. Aminah is committed to centering incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women of color and comes to this work with a gender-specific lens. She holds a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from the University of California, Berkeley and is the co-author of Criminal Record Stigma in the College-Educated Labor Market.
aminah@unapologeticallyhers.org
Founding Board Member
Arlene Dugmore (she/her/hers) is a mother, grandmother, advocate and mentor for incarcerated women struggling with Intimate Partner Battering and the criminalization of survival. Arlene holds an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts & Humanities and a Certificate of Specialization in Entrepreneurial Business Planning from Feather River College. She is a facilitator of anger management and family relationships, and has supported numerous other programs centering empowerment. Arlene has served as a representative on the prison advisory committee, where she was tasked with representing the interest of her peers to the prison administration. Currently serving a sentence of life without parole, Arlene is a leader who motivates and activates her community and is a Founding Board Member of Unapologetically HERS.
Long Beach, CA
PARLP Coordinator
Precious Johnson serves as the PARLP Coordinator, where she supports and guides community researchers with unwavering dedication. A respected mentor, seasoned leader, and passionate advocate for prison reform, Precious has accumulated 15 years of direct experience within the prison system, offering invaluable knowledge and firsthand insights. During her incarceration, she earned an Associate degree in Business Management and played a pivotal role in a youth diversion program, steering young people towards constructive futures. Precious also facilitated self-help classes, earning recognition as a profound mentor within the prison community. Since her release, Precious has continued to champion transformative changes in the system, leveraging her personal journey and professional expertise to advocate for comprehensive reform and support for incarcerated individuals.
precious@unapologeticallyhers.org
Peer Mentor / Workshop Facilitator
Chyrl Lamar is a proximate leader, advocate and mentor with over 30 years of direct experience with the carceral system. Chyrl is a Program and Outreach Advocate with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP) and a Peer Mentor/Thought Partner for Unapologetically HERS (UAHERS), where she supports people inside the Central California Women’s Facility with leadership development, capacity building, and systems change work.
In addition, Chyrl is on the Board of Directors for the Felony Murders Elimination Project (FMEP) whose goal is the elimination of the felony murder rule and to bring relief to those who are serving harsh disproportionate sentences
When not advocating, you can find Chyrl listening to music of many genres and crocheting both of which she finds relaxing.
chyrl@unapologeticallyhers.org
Program Coordinator
Angela is dedicated to driving policy changes and deeply committed to the success and freedom of her peers who remain confined. As a passionate advocate, she aims to use her experience and voice to influence reforms that positively impact peers and contribute to the elimination of mass incarceration. Angela looks forward to collaborating with others impacted by the system to discuss, create, and document innovative paths for resentencing and advancing meaningful change.
Having been formerly incarcerated, she deeply supports her inside community members in their pursuit of justice and freedom. As a mentor, her goal is to empower her peers to navigate the complex legal landscape and aspire to train more advocates who can help the incarcerated community members find their way home.
Angela brings five years of advocacy experience and is a PARLP alumna and her role is crucial in ensuring the success of our fellows and the overall impact of the fellowship.
angela@unapologeticallyhers.org
Trinia Aguirre was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and is a woman deeply rooted in her faith. She maintains an honest and loving relationship with her children, family, and friends, drawing strength from these connections as she dedicates herself to service and advocacy. During her incarceration, Trinia became certified in the Palliative/Hospice Care Volunteer Program, a program designed to ensure that no one dies alone. Through this work, as well as her role as a Peer Support Specialist in the Treatment Center Unit, she provides compassionate care, advocacy, and support to those in need. Her day-to-day work reflects her commitment to living amends—offering help and healing to those around her as she continues her own journey of transformation. Trinia is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree through Fresno State’s prison education program and a community researcher with Unapologetically HERS, focusing on women’s reproductive justice. Through this work, she has contributed to the Know Your Rights booklet, ensuring that incarcerated individuals have access to critical information about their reproductive healthcare. She is also a facilitator for LOVE (Living Outside Violence Everyday), a group dedicated to raising awareness and providing advocacy for survivors of domestic violence. Empowered by love and a commitment to justice, Trinia continues to use her voice and leadership to uplift those around her and fight for systemic change.
Cynthia DuBose is a passionate advocate for reproductive justice whose journey began with her own painful experience. In 2006, while incarcerated at Valley State Prison for Women, she was pressured by a prison doctor to terminate her pregnancy after being told—without certainty—that her child had Down Syndrome. To this day, she does not know whether her child was truly healthy. She is one of hundreds of women subjected to coercive and unethical reproductive practices in California prisons, a history of violence that continues to impact incarcerated individuals. When Unapologetically HERS approached her to contribute to the Know Your Rights booklet, Cynthia felt an undeniable obligation to ensure that others have access to the information and advocacy she never had. She hopes this resource empowers incarcerated individuals to understand and defend their reproductive rights. During her incarceration, Cynthia has earned an A.S. in Business, an A.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and an A.A. in American Studies. She supports her community by facilitating self-help groups such as Guiding Rage into Power (GRIP) and serving as Vice Chairperson of the ILTAG Helping Others With Life-Skills (HOWL) program. Despite 15 years of incarceration, she has never lost her love for cooking or animals. Her experience has given her the insight and motivation to raise awareness about domestic violence, inspiring her to connect with others and advocate for the preciousness of life and the importance of support systems for those in need.
Ezekiel “Greenie” Teague is a 2024 Participatory Action Research Leadership Program (PARLP) community researcher at Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF). Through this program, he has gained critical data analysis skills, a transformative experience that has deepened his sense of self-confidence and purpose. Being recognized for his contributions has reinforced his belief in the power of research to create meaningful change—not just for himself, but for others impacted by incarceration. An African American trans man who has been incarcerated for 32 years, Ezekiel has firsthand experience with the inhumane treatment inflicted upon incarcerated individuals. His commitment to advocacy is reflected in his ongoing education as he works toward an Associate’s Degree in Business. He is also a T4T-trained facilitator and has co-developed a curriculum for a transgender support group. In addition, he serves as the Vice Chair of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), where he facilitates weekly meetings, and has completed AA Sponsorship training. The skills he has gained through PARLP have been life-changing, and upon release, he hopes to pursue a career as a data analyst, using research as a tool for justice and social impact. To his peers, he shares this message: “Knowledge is power, and with that power, change might not happen overnight, but it will absolutely happen. Never give up.”
Robbin Monique Machuca is a dedicated leader and advocate working to break the barriers of systemic injustice, advance criminal justice reform, and expand access to higher education as a tool to reduce recidivism. She is also a fierce advocate against the illegal sterilization of people of color, fighting for accountability and justice. Robbin welcomed the opportunity to be a community researcher in the Participatory Action Research Leadership Program (PARLP) and Unapologetically HERS, recognizing the power of research to expose harm and drive meaningful change. She uses her collective wisdom as a vessel of hope, redefining what is possible not only for herself but for future generations. She wields influence beyond her immediate surroundings, stating: “I want to keep serving as the visual representation of how preparedness, audacity, faith, focus, and passion can take someone forward—continuing to inspire the next generation, showing that each of us has a purpose and a duty to build resilience through teamwork.” Robbin’s leadership is evident in the many hats she wears. She serves as Chair of CCWF’s Inmate Leisure Time Activity Group (ILTAG) Generation to Generation and facilitates CGA-12 Step Gang Diversion, Anger Management, and Domestic Violence programs for her community. Serving her LWOP sentence through Living Amends, she has committed herself to education, mentorship, and transformative advocacy. She has completed the Offender Mentor Certification Program, trained as a Peer Support Specialist, and contributed to a Youth Diversion program. Robbin has earned two Associate Degrees in Psychology and Sociology and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree. With two decades of experience working in the PIA Optical Industry, she continues to be a role model and a powerful example of recovery, prosocial behaviors, and visionary hope beyond barriers.
Tamara Hinkle is a transformative figure within her community, dedicated to pioneering change in the realm of incarcerated higher education. She tirelessly works to eliminate barriers in the educational journeys of incarcerated students, aiming to enhance their chances of success upon release, reduce recidivism, and support the ethos that education, not incarceration, is the solution. Tamara, who graduated Business College at 17 years old, has earned her Associate of Science Degree in General Business, and is scheduled to begin the second cohort of the Cal State LA Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts Program at the California Institution for Women. Tamara has served 29 years of a life without parole sentence. A woman of many hats, mentor, facilitator, tutor,student and work in progress, Tamara remains focused on internal transformation while continuing to aim for the moon.
Board Member
info@unapologeticallyhers.org
Laura Lutrell Purviance is a multifaceted artist, writer, advocate, educator, and collaborator deeply involved in various political and multimedia projects. After earning her Associate degree with honors in sociology from the Central California Women’s Facility, Laura transferred to Cal State L.A.’s Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies program at the California Institute for Women. Her activism extends beyond the classroom through projects that connect her with the world beyond the razor wire. Laura combats her 50-Life sentence’s constraints by engaging in cognitive behavioral therapy, Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and maintaining her mental health with generic Prozac. She’s a fervent advocate for sustainable urban agriculture, recently winning second place in a pitch competition with a business idea that combines landscaping services with community-supported agriculture.
Kinzie Noordman is deeply engaged in advocacy and restorative justice, with over 20 years navigating the carceral system. A published author and certified paralegal, Kinzie recently achieved a bachelor’s degree, furthering her capacity to effect change. At CCWF and CIW, she actively promoted restorative justice programs, bringing a thoughtful and transformative approach to her advocacy. In her leisure time, Kinzie enjoys training service dogs, delving into the worlds of Star Trek, and engaging with her family. Her diverse interests range from octopuses and science fiction to crocheting and computer coding, reflecting her multifaceted personality and passions.
Paige Linville is an unwavering advocate for social justice, with a focus on reforming the criminal justice system and dismantling the prison industrial complex. Currently serving a 25-year to life sentence, Paige is deeply committed to recognizing the impacts of her past actions on both direct and indirect victims while actively challenging violent and oppressive carceral policies. She applies transformative justice principles to foster healing and empowerment within herself and her community. Paige is involved in organizing fundraisers for charities and spearheads rehabilitative programs. As the Chairperson of the Incarcerated Persons Advisory Council, she advocates for humane, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed policies. Paige’s roles as a mentor, tutor, author, and public speaker are complemented by her academic pursuit in a Bachelor of Arts program at California State University, Los Angeles. She also contributes to training service dogs for the disabled and supports various community-based organizations. Through her work with Unapologetically HERS, Paige has honed her skills in empowering her community to advocate for research-driven policy changes. She plans to continue her advocacy efforts, leveraging her experiences and the tools gained from the Participatory Action Research Leadership Program.
MaLinda Jones, who prefers to be called Mindy, has spent nineteen of her sixty-nine years as a resident of CDCR. Her journey includes participating in countless self-help groups, with the Offender Mentor Certification Program (OMCP) at CCWF having the most significant impact on her personal growth. As a state-certified drug and alcohol counselor, Mindy has dedicated six years to working in the Substance Abuse Program (SAP), helping students find healing from substances and criminal behavior. Her work not only fosters her own growth but also makes a profound difference in reducing recidivism, improving public safety, and allowing her to live a life of amends.
Jennifer Henderson is a testament to personal transformation and resilience. Incarcerated at 23 and sentenced to life without parole, Jennifer has taken her journey of self-discovery seriously, earning two AA degrees and currently pursuing a BA in Liberal Studies through CSULA. A certified Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselor, she actively contributes to the well-being of others in her professional and volunteer roles. Jennifer’s dedication to growth extends into her personal life, where she embraces hobbies like crocheting and hair styling, and cherishes the opportunity to positively influence her two children with the lessons learned from her past and present.
Arleen Dugmore is a compassionate woman dedicated to serving individuals and her community. Incarcerated for 23 years on a Life Without Parole sentence, Arleen has spent her time engaging in numerous self-help groups aimed at self-discovery and empowerment. Through her roles in Compassionate Companions and Convicted Women Against Abuse, she embodies a compassionate survivor, advocating for educational equality and systemic change. Arleen’s commitment extends to supporting her peers through severe illness, grief, and loss, and she facilitates workshops on Domestic Violence Awareness.
Sally Hasper has dedicated 37 years of her life within CIW to aiding and mentoring the mentally ill and developmentally disabled. Serving a life without parole sentence, Sally has become a pivotal educator, tutoring individuals with no reading skills and assisting those at the ABE I level. For over 14 years, she has supported her peers in overcoming various challenges, from socialization struggles to navigating complex prison systems. Sally offers crucial study materials, clerical, and organizational support to those preparing for parole board hearings. Her commitment extends to advocating for the unheard, believing that a helping hand strengthens and enhances the safety and success of her community. Sally continues to champion for equitable treatment and the provision of adequate resources for all who cannot advocate for themselves.
Founding Member
Robert Elster is the Director of Youth Development with Alternative Restorative Communities whose goal is to reduce the racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system through the use of restorative practices. Robert is also the Residential Manager with Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs (CROP) where he provides a holistic, human-centered experience to justice-involved individuals and their families at their Career Campus. Robert has over 20 years of lived experiences and a proven track record of successfully building trust and rapport with at-risk youth and adults, incarcerated individuals, and unhoused community members. He is a skilled mentor and facilitator of group/individual counseling sessions through restorative principles. Robert is also a trained facilitator on de-escalation and conflict resolution and has participated in Victim Awareness Education Group, or VOEG. Robert holds a certificate in Business, several trade certifications, is passionate about giving back to the community, and is a founding member and Coach with Unapologetically HERS.
info@unapologeticallyhers.org
Community Researcher
Vegas Bray is an advocate for criminal justice reform, systems change, and support for those who wish to direct their internal pain and anger into a healthy outlet in order to promote necessary changes inside and outside of her community.
Vegas is currently incarcerated in the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), serving a sentence of 50 years to life and is a facilitator of Healing Trauma, Beyond Violence, FACE-IT, and Felons Against Distracted and Drunk Driving (FADD).
Vegas is dedicated to giving back to others and providing resources to help prevent repeated mistakes. As a Community Researcher with Unapologetically HERS, Vegas plans to continue her extensive research into policy reforms and the identifying the barriers that stand in the way of incarcerated peoples freedom. Elevating these challenges from inside the prison and speaking to individuals about the importance of decarceration is central to her and she believes confirms the importance of participatory action research.
Vegas is committed to gaining knowledge and being an advocate for those who fear that their voices will not be heard.
Central California Women’s Facility, Chowchilla, CA
Founding Member
Wendy is an advocate, researcher, and systems change agent who is currently serving an LWOP sentence at Central California Women’s Facility. She has been incarcerated for the last 10 years and during this time, Wendy has strived to gain insight through self-help groups such as codependency, Beyond Violence, Denial Management, Domestic Violence, AWARE, and several others. She is also pursuing her associates degree.
Through Wendy’s journey to gain insight, she learned how her core beliefs were formed and how they influenced her decisions that led to her incarceration. Wendy has used her past traumas of sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, and childhood trauma to educate and encourage her peers.
In addition to educating people within her community, Wendy works with an urban school in the Bay Area where she educates the younger generation about the effects of violence, injustices within the criminal legal system, mass incarceration, and other areas in need of systemic change.
Wendy has also prided herself on gaining a voice, allowing her to advocate for people in her community that cannot advocate for themselves. She has served her community through the capacity of an Inmate Advisory Council, or IAC, representative as well as working with outside organizations such as Survived & Punished, the California Coalition for Women Prisons, and Unapologetically HERS.
Wendy looks forward to continuing her path in helping her community and inspiring positive change..
Central California Women’s Facility, Chowchilla, CA
Community Researcher
Erica Olson is a systems chance advocate, striving to change the inequality that permeates the criminal legal system. Erica uses her voice to fight for those who do not have the ability or the knowledge to do so themselves. She also uses her voice and leadership in the position of an IAC representative to ensure that her peers are treated fairly.
Erica’s journey in creating change is one that is important to her. She strongly believes that incarcerated people have the ability to transform their own lives by repairing, healing, and educating one another.
Erica has been incarcerated for 30 years on a Life Without Parole sentence. Throughout the years, Erica has worked diligently to educate herself by engaging in numerous self help groups such as, AWARE, LOVE, Healthy Relationships, and Anger Management. Erica loves to learn and is generous with her peers by passing on her experiences and knowledge in the hope that they too can be on a healthy path forward. Erica is involved in community outreach and research projects such as Gifted Hands, The Pillowcase Dress Project, Comfort Care, and Participatory Action Research Leadership Program. These programs allow Erica to be of service and to give back to the community both inside and outside the prison walls.
Central California Women’s Facility, Chowchilla, CA
Co-Founder / Board Secretary
London is an organizer and producer with experience in organizing, creating and executing organizational social media strategies. In 2019 London was selected as a 2019 Elder Freeman Policy Fellow with Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) where her skills and contributions led to the creation of LSPC’s first 2020 Communications Fellowship before her departure. London is currently an organizer with Faith In Action Bay Area, where she address economic dignity, health care, mass incarceration, and immigrant justice. As a formerly incarcerated woman, London utilized her time spent inside of federal prison facilitating women’s empowerment classes and penning her novel The Price You Pay. London has extensive experience in acting and the arts, and has competed in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s ACT-SO monologue, attended the American Musical Dramatic Academy, and volunteered at the American Black Film Festival. London is a passionate impact storytelling strategist, Co-Founder and Board Secretary of Unapologetically HERS.
info@unapologeticallyhers.org
Community Researcher
Gaby is an enthusiastic and passionate soul who is always willing to serve and inspire change. An advocate, community researcher, and facilitator, Gaby is a courageous woman who is strengthened and sustained by her desire to improve the circumstances of all those impacted by the beast of incarceration.
Gaby was sentenced to 25 years to life and for the past 19 years has used every opportunity to educate, restore, and give back to her community and peers. Gaby loves to volunteer her time keeping her community clean by recycling and litter removal. She also teaches aerobics classes, translates curriculum for the Spanish speaking community, and mentors young lifers learning to navigate the prison environment and critical life changes.
Gaby currently facilitates a Life Scripting group where she guides and empowers her peers to dream and be determined to transform their “messes into messages of resilience” and is a Community Researcher in partnership with Unapologetically HERS, Healing Experiences through Research Solutions, where she organizers to uplift the voices or her peers and fights to see more people being resentenced and released.
Central California Women’s Facility, Chowchilla, CA
Board Member / Community Researcher
Cleo is a proximate leader, organizer, and researcher with a passion for systems change. Cleo’s personal experiences with disproportionate sentencing drives her work toward policy change, centering discriminatory sentencing and racial, gender, and reproductive justice.
Cleo is a founding member of Unapologetically HERS, an organization that seeks to expand access to information flows and illuminate pathways that lead to knowledge creation, self-empowerment, liberation, and abolition. Cleo is also an enthusiastic member of the inside LWOP Support group where she serves in a leadership capacity. Cleo is a trained facilitator of the Offender Mentor Program, Healing Trauma, Survivors of Incest & Rape, Beyond Violence, and a certified Domestic Violence advocate.
Cleo dedicates her time and knowledge supporting peers experiencing language barriers with parole board preparation help. Despite being faced with a life without parole (LWOP) sentence, Cleo is committed to developing collective efficacy in order to become a productive and safe member of society again.
Cleo is currently completing her associate’s degree with Merced College in both Psychology and Social Behavior and plans to use her expertise to drive criminal legal reform.
Central California Women’s Facility, Chowchilla, CA
Board Chair
Cosme has a dynamic background spanning roles such as Job Developer, Administrative Coordinator, and Director of Operations. He is a seasoned leader in workforce development and program management, bringing extensive expertise in spearheading transformative programs, managing projects and teams, and developing impactful initiatives. As Board Chair, Cosme applies his wealth of lived and professional experience to effectively guide UAHERS towards achieving its strategic goals.
info@unapologeticallyhers.org
Board Secretary
Erin is a lawyer and conflict resolution professional committed to helping to build power in communities by supporting innovative approaches to conflict and harm that provide alternatives to the traditional legal system.
info@unapologeticallyhers.org