I am the Program Manager for The Homecoming Project, but I believe my purpose at Impact Justice extends far beyond my title. My role includes matching eligible participants to compatible hosts while securing a support network for each arrangement. My lived experiences as a formerly incarcerated women who spent 15 years in prison informs my work and motivates me to inspire others in taking a proactive role in finding solutions to local problems.
I have been an advocate for incarcerated people for more than a decade as a peer health educator, a drug and alcohol counselor, and a spokeswoman for the Drop the Life Without the Possibility of Parole campaign. I served as the Chairperson for the Beyond Incarceration Program - leading an organization of 20 members to become Youth Diversion Specialists while raising funds for a program connecting high school students to prisoners using Skype.
I executed the business plan for CORE (Criminal Offender Reform Establishment) in 2012, developed various self-therapeutic courses, and partnered with community volunteers to help the prison population have more access to rehabilitation programs. I continue to create more curriculum and plans to begin facilitating workshops in the community for families of incarcerated individuals and formerly individuals as well.
When I returned home in 2017, my life was naturally going to be dedicated to my community. I interned at the American Friends Service Committee, served as a Next Generations Fellow through the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ).
I am a musician, graphic designer, and public speaker. I have also been at the forefront of restorative justice efforts, both inside prison and beyond - openly sharing my experiences and knowledge on local panels with the hope to inspire, motivate, and inform others. I currently study at San Francisco State University and hold two undergraduate degrees in business management and social & behavioral science.
Contact and Other Information:
Phone Number: 707-794-2151, 415-827-1852
Email: terahlawyer@gmail.com or tlawyer@impactjustice.org (work)
Home Base: Bay Area, CA
Availability: Evenings/Weekends/Scheduled Daytimes
Fees: – For Non-CPF events (negotiable)
Areas of Focus:
Reentry
Housing
Rehabilitation
Entrepreneurship
Education
LGBTQ
Community and Economic Development
Arts/Culture (Music)
Self-Care/Motivation
Links:
Featured On:
http://Living Chance Podcast (CCWP)
http://Prison Focus Show (KPOO)
http://Testi-fi (A New way of Life)
Impact/Ideas (attached):
http://Red Cafe - Drop LWOP Campaign
Featured In:
http://Juvenile Justice Information Exchange
http://News and Letters Committees
Resumé:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WuHlzozR0tCxqXrbDuIE_mtEN8JTZDwN/view?usp=sharing
Conditions Panel Discussion: