Our Team

Aminah (she/her/hers) is an activist and organizer with experience in public policy, leadership development, and management. As a formerly incarcerated woman of color, Aminah is intimately familiar with the impacts of imprisonment.  Aminah is currently the Campaign and Policy Coordinator with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, and previously worked with Berkeley Underground Scholars leading the organization’s Ambassador Program and serving as the Advocacy Chair for Underground Scholars Initiative. Aminah has additionally served as paralegal, advocate, researcher, and organizer on statewide and national campaigns including successfully securing free phone calls for people inside San Francisco jails. Aminah completed her undergraduate education at the University of California Berkeley and is the Co-Founder of Unapologetically H.E.R.S. 

Daniela (she/her/ella) is an activist of color impacted by mass incarceration and community violence. An Oakland native, Daniela is pursuing her Masters 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 a Perez Fellow at Bright Research Group, a Certified Life Coach, Co-Founder and Board Treasurer of Unapologetically H.E.R.S.

London (she/her/hers) 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 H.E.R.S. 

Robert (he/him/his) is a Traffic Control Technician with Walsh Group and community advocate who was given a life sentence at the age of 16. In 2017, Robert served in a supervisory capacity with The Hunter's Point Family & Urban Alchemy utilizing the transformative power of love, passion, respect, and a sense of belonging to reshape the lives of societies most vulnerable members. Currently, Robert volunteers with Alternative Restorative Communities whose aim is to keep young people from ‘touching the system’ by matching them with a trained, ‘culturally relevant’ mentor to address harms caused through the use of restorative practices. In addition, Robert supports and consults with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission liaison to provide Union careers with prevailing wages and benefits for local workers, particularly long-term San Francisco residents who have historically been economically marginalized. Robert holds a certificate in Business, several trade certifications,  is passionate about giving back to the community, and is a founding member and Case Manager with Unapologetically HERS.

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 Associates 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. 

Cleo Martinez-Costa (she/her/hers), is a mother, grandmother, organizer,  Spanish/English interpreter,  and advocate for survivors of gender violence and those disproportionately sentenced in California. Cleo currently works as an Offender Mentor for the Beyond Violence and Healing Trauma program inside of the Central California Women’s Facility and as a certified Advocate for Domestic Violence survivors where she facilitates Survivors of Incest and Rape support group. As a first generation Mexican American, Cleo describes her upbringing as one where she was given no voice. Today, Cleo is a student at Merced College, pursuing dual degrees in Social Behavioral Sciences and Psychology. 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, and is a Founding Board Member of Unapologetically HERS.  

Judy (they/them/their) strives for the liberation of all people through coming back to relationship to the land, self, and community. On Ohlone land, Judy supported LGBTQQIA2S+ young people with navigating civil and criminal systems, name and gender marker change petitions, and co-facilitated community groups. Judy also worked as a staff attorney at Legal Services for Prisoners with Children. Prior to that, Judy worked as a public defender at the Legal Aid Society of New York. While in law school, Judy defended parents of color against allegations of abuse and neglect of their children and advocated for family reunification with the NYU Family Defense Clinic. Judy is licensed to practice law in New York and California.

Chyrl (she/her/hers) supports researchers inside the Central California

Women's Facility with Participatory Action Research, leadership

development, and systems change. Chyrl is also a Program and

Outreach Advocate with the CA Coalition for Women Prisoners

(CCWP). Chyrl comes to this work with over 30 years of direct

experience with the carceral system. When not advocating, you can

find Chyrl enjoying listening to music and/or crocheting which she

finds relaxing.