Angela White cycled in and out of jail for a total of more than 20 years. At the time of her incarceration, she was a new mother who wanted her daughter to have more than her and her siblings.

While she was in Virginia Correctional Center for Women, she began to prepare herself for reentry, working diligently on earning her way home. She took a variety of classes, including classes about healthy relationships, grief recovery skills, anger management, and how to be a productive citizen. She continued to practice her faith behind bars and sang in the choir. Drawing on her own experiences, she mentored other women, many of whom were mothers or the primary caretakers of their children and helped them prepare for reentry.

Two years after she was released, in 2013, Angela earned an associate degree in Business Accounting.

That same year, she started House of Dreams ReEntry Services. House Of Dreams provides resources and services that help returned Virginians with mental health issues, job skill development, financial literacy, family reunification, and civic engagement. Through her organization, Angela has helped many people, especially formerly incarcerated women, rebuild their lives after decades behind bars.

An advocate for prison reform and a member of the National Council for Formerly Incarcerated Women, Angela has been fighting for change at the local, state, and federal levels—sharing her second chance story with lawmakers and politicians to show the value of investing in people, not prisons.

Thanks to her work on reentry and parole for women, in 2022, Angela received the Prison Reform Advocate of the Year Award from the Monique Yesenia Re-Entry Award Dinner, an award ceremony to honor returned Virginians who are fighting for prison reform.

In the years since, Angela earned her BS in law and policy pre-law from Liberty University, received notice that she’ll be inducted into the National Leadership Society, and in 2025, will begin law school at Liberty Law. She was also married on March 9, 2024 and changed her name from Angela Antoine to Angela White.

Angela stays committed to prison reform and to proving that second chances don’t just benefit the individual – they benefit entire communities.

Angel DeJesus was a teenager when he was sentenced to life without parole. In 2020, Virginia ended juvenile life without parole sentences. Two years later, Angel received a conditional pardon from Gov. Northam. and was released on January 2022.  

Despite thinking that he would spend the rest of his life behind bars, he made the most out of his incarceration. 

He completed his GED, acquired more than 30 certificates, and participated in several educational programs, such as cognitive skill building, anger management, and tutor training. 

There's no greater joy than reuniting with family and enjoying the simple things in life as a free man.  

He got to experience many firsts in a long time — first time eating a real grilled cheese, go out for dinner, and go for a hike by the river. Since his release, Angel has continued to be an advocate for prison reform by sharing his own story of transformation. 

He testified at the Virginia General Assembly to support the Second Look legislation. He has also spoken at various webinars, community events, and radio interviews. 

And now, Angel works for Boys to Men Mentoring Virginia, a mentoring program that provides mentors and role models to young boys as they transition into adulthood. 

With Boys to Men, Angel is able to build relationships with young people and to show them that the choices they make matter, and that if they work towards a better version of themselves, no matter where they started, they can have a positive impact on communities.