When Paulettra James met her husband, Jerry (JJ), he was already incarcerated. 

They met through her son, who was incarcerated at the same Virginia prison as JJ. 

“[Paulettra’s son] would always talk about this guy named JJ. So, time goes on … and he just keeps mentioning JJ. And I was like, ‘Okay, who is this JJ guy? Like, what’s his story?’,” she said. 

Paulettra decided she wanted to have a conversation with him so that she could better understand what activities her son was participating in and who he was surrounding himself with while incarcerated because even though Paulettra talked to her son often, she was still not totally familiar with day-to-day life in prison.

“They did Bible studies, they did men’s group, they worked out together,” she said. “I was like, ‘Okay, well I’d like to talk to JJ,’ because I knew of prison, and I knew it existed, but like anything in life, it’s kind of out of sight, out of mind.” 

At first, when Paulettra’s son would call, he’d put JJ on for a little. Soon, she and JJ became pen pals, by July of 2016, JJ was calling  Paulettra directly. 

“And by October, we were in love,” said Paulettra. 

Paulettra’s relationship with JJ opened her eyes to the reform needed in Virginian’s criminal justice system. Before their relationship, Paulettra was unaware that Virginia doesn’t have parole. 

“I knew that there had to be some way that individuals like him could find their way back into society and back into their family’s lives,” she said. 

While incarcerated, JJ has not only received both a high school and college education, but has also learned trade skills and worked to create a positive community, both inside and outside of prison. 

“He is working with the chaplain and the administration [at the prison] to start a father’s program, helping guys build relationships with their kids while [incarcerated] and how to maintain that relationship, and continue to be a good father and mentor in the communities that they come from. Just how to be better people,” Paulettra said about her husband. 

Paulettra co-founded Sistas in Prison Reform, an advocacy organization that works to humanize people who’re incarcerated and advocate for legislation to provide incarcerated people with opportunities for a second chance. 

“Mental health is very real, and for men it is not something they feel comfortable talking about, or sharing, or admitting they have. So [JJ] suffered in silence, and unfortunately, that suffering landed him where he is, but he’s no longer that person. Now, he’s a better person.” 

Mass incarceration affects more than just the person incarcerated: it affects entire families. Paulettra recalls seeing a journal with a homework assignment one of JJ’s nephews had completed. 

“… I came across a writing, and the teacher had asked them to write five things that they would like, and the first one was he wanted to buy his mama’s house …. But the second thing was he wanted his Uncle Jerry to come home from prison. Everybody’s just ready for him to come home, and it’s time for him to come home, because he’s just serving no purpose sitting in prison.” 

When JJ is released, he wants to work and spend time with family. 

“He would like to drive commercial trucks....” said Paulettra. “He wants to mentor young men, like speaking to young men to let them know that the path they choose can either be one way or it can lead them to where he is. Sharing his story of [endurance], and the importance of getting an education is important to JJ. He also feels it’s critical to talk about mental health, how to recognize mental health issues and shortcomings and do something about addressing it.” 

Paulettra and JJ haven’t gotten to spend a single day outside of prison together, but they make the most out of the times they are together. 

“Prison doesn’t prohibit us from enjoying life other than the things that we can’t do together. We can’t go have dinner together. We can’t take walks together. But you know, we have fun regardless,” said Paulettra. 

Still, they look forward to the days they can spend together outside of prison. 

“We’re excited and looking forward to life on the other side and all the aspects and potential opportunities that are coming our way. Life is short and you never know when you are not going to have a life again. And so just enjoy it. So that’s kind of what our dreams are: to live our best life,” said Paulettra. 

When Chenoa agreed to accompany her church, Passion Community Church, to a volunteer service inside a prison, she had no intention of going back. 

“I was with my husband at the time. He wanted to launch a campus of our church inside Nottoway Correctional Center. I told him I would go the night we launched the campus, but I am never going back. I was worried about how dangerous it could be, like walking into the belly of the beast,” she said. 

As a victim of crime, Chenoa had no desire to get to know any of the men who were incarcerated that would be attending church service.

Immediately, her mind changed. 

“When those 120 guys walked in for church that night, I saw children of God,” said Chenoa. 

She visited the prison for three years with her church, becoming friends with many of the people she met. She learned their stories and they learned hers. Her time volunteering at Nottoway, changed Chenoa’s perspective of incarcerated people: she saw them for the people they were, not their convictions. 

“In an instant, we can all make a bad decision. … [T]he God that I serve is about second chances and redemption .... They weren’t their worst mistake,” said Chenoa.

Chenoa’s changed perspective also helped her find forgiveness for the people who harmed her. 

“In that journey of going inside, in meeting these men, I realized what redemption and forgiveness look like, and because of them, I was able to get past the trauma I experienced,” said Chenoa. 

While Chenoa was volunteering in the prison, she was also dealing with personal matters. When she shared these details with the people attending church in Nottoway, they offered love and support. 

After three years volunteering, Chenoa decided to extend her volunteer work to advocating for prison reform.  

“After I’d been there for about three years, I decided that they needed a voice … out here. They needed someone to fight for them..., I needed to fight for them.” 

As part of her advocacy, Chenoa sits in on parole hearings; works with the Helping Addicts Recover Progressively (HARP) Program at Chesterfield County Jail, bringing returned citizens in as mentors to currently incarcerated Virginians; and lobbies at the General Assembly, sharing the stories of the incarcerated Virginians she’s met and the good work they’ve done to improve themselves and prove that they deserve a second chance. 

It was snowing the day Shawn Barksdale was released from prison in January of 2016. He remembers that day well: the feeling of his clothes, the smell of the air, the hugs from his mom and daughter. 

“… [W]e say the air smells different on this side of the fence, but it does. It really smells different on this side of the fence,” said Shawn. “I remember my daughter and my mother just crying. I hadn’t seen my mother cry like that, probably ever.” 

Shawn had been incarcerated for so long – 14 years – that he had to take nausea medicine after the car ride home to help him with motion sickness. His body was no longer used to being in a moving vehicle.  

While incarcerated, Shawn earned his GED, received a variety of trade certificates, and enrolled in college courses.  

After being released, Shawn had one goal: to do good.  

“That’s all I really wanted to do, was just do good, get a job, which I did. I ended up working at Burger King. I tell people I worked at Burger King like it was a five-star restaurant because I just wanted to prove myself. I wanted to prove to the community that I had changed, but more so – I’m an only child – I wanted to prove to my mother that I had changed,” he said. 

Later, Shawn began working at a print shop in his hometown, and one day, his supervisor allowed him to take home an old screen-printing machine. 

With this machine, he began his own screen-printing business, Press 4 Time Tees. 

“I knew nothing about business. I knew nothing about LLCs and what the IRS requires from you to start a business. But I was determined. I knew that anything I set my mind to, I could do,” he said. 

Shawn has grown as an entrepreneur since then. He created and hosts a podcast, Ten Minutes of Truth, where his guests range from returned citizens and their loved ones to lawmakers and attorneys. 

“… I wanted to give a voice to the voiceless…” Shawn said. “I didn’t know how, but I knew this podcast was the future.” 

He also founded Boots on the Ground, an initiative that works to close the gap between youth, the community, and law enforcement. 

“We [Boots on the Ground] just want to provide options. We just provide information. And we want to be the biggest information portal that we can be so that our youth and our parents and elders in the community can understand that you do have options,” said Shawn. “One of the main reasons we work with the children is because I didn’t have anyone to communicate with [when I was young], and a lot of the time, [young people] feel they don’t have anyone that understands them. … [i]t’s very important that we bridge the gap of communication for them.”  

Through all of Shawn’s endeavors, he works to give others the second chance he received. 

“I believe that anybody can change because I changed. Not only are we coming home and staying out of trouble, we’re actually running the community,” said Shawn. “With my second chance, I’ve been able to help others along the way.”