Resilience
In Action

Our Journey through 2022 and 2023

Letter From Our President

Dear friends, family, and supporters,

The past few years have been marked by unprecedented political and economic challenges, yet Young Women’s Freedom Center (YWFC), our tiny but mighty organization, built over 30 years by women, girls, and trans people who have survived the streets, exploitation, and incarceration, has expanded its impact by leaps and bounds. Through it all, we have never wavered from the deep wisdom and power that have shaped this movement. For three decades, we’ve known that women and girls who have survived impossible odds, navigated extreme violence, and fought to survive—fist over fist—hold a profound understanding of what they need. They possess the brilliance and wisdom to shape a society where everyone can access what they need to thrive.

With this conviction guiding us, we launched bold initiatives across California, continuing to meet the evolving needs of our communities and make strides toward our Freedom 2030 goals:

– Deeply investing in our people, families, and communities
– Keeping families together
– Ending profits from the prison system
– Ending extreme sentencing

This 2022-2023 Impact Report is a testament to the enduring strength, hard work, and collective power of our communities. It reflects YWFC’s visionary leadership in decarceration, economic justice, and leadership development for those historically left out of systems of opportunity.

For over 30 years, we have stayed rooted in the bold vision of the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter — our North Star, drafted by over 500 women, girls, and trans people who have experienced poverty, exploitation, and incarceration. The Charter is not just a roadmap; it is a 100-year goal toward Freedom and Liberation.

To date, we have transformed the lives of over 40,000 young women and trans youth across California. Our alumni have become leaders in movements, foundations, educational institutions, businesses, and political spaces—each carrying the torch of change forward. Our efforts have been central to the push for decarceration in counties like Santa Clara, Alameda, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, leading to the closure of youth detention facilities and the end of the incarceration of girls in these areas.

As you read this report, know that you are part of a growing movement—one that is changing the trajectory of justice, healing, and liberation for generations to come. We invite you to continue standing with us as we march toward Freedom 2030 and beyond.

Thank you for your Support!

PRESIDENT
ReImagine Freedom

Celebrating 30 Years of Resilience and Impact

In February, we marked an incredible milestone—30 years of powerful work—with a fundraising gala in the heart of San Francisco at the historic Presidio, hosted in the beautiful space of Futures Without Violence. This event was not only a celebration but a testament to the resilience, leadership, and impact of our movement over the past three decades.

Together, we honored our collective successes and shared an inspiring vision for the future—30 years of transformation behind us and 30 years of liberation ahead. We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated, attended, and supported us in making this celebration unforgettable. Your presence and commitment fuel our continued fight for freedom and justice!

The Sister Warriors
Freedom Charter

A Vision for Collective Liberation

In 2017, over 500 women, girls, and trans people—each with lived experiences of violence, incarceration, and life on the streets—came together to reimagine the possibility of freedom and liberation. Through this powerful collaboration, the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter was born. This charter represents our collective voice, clearly articulating what we mean when we demand housing, safety from violence, self-determination, and the opportunity to thrive.

The Sister Warriors Freedom Charter is more than just a document or a set of goals—it is a vision that transcends any single organization. It belongs to the people and is a guiding framework for all of us to unite around, contribute to, and build upon. This is our North Star and the blueprint for the world we will create together. It’s a calling, a collective declaration of the future we are working toward.

When you read the declarations in the charter, know that you are hearing the wisdom of our community. These are the voices of sisters who have passed on, of those still behind prison walls, of individuals lost to the streets and addiction. These are also the voices of those who are building, supporting grieving mothers, training future leaders, and holding the line for justice. Together, we are clear about what we want—for ourselves and for the world—a reality where everyone can reach their full potential. We know that individual freedom is bound to our collective liberation, and that only by working together will we bring to life the vast vision and brilliance of the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter.

This charter has set us on a new path, and we are committed to dreaming, building, and persisting through the pain and the hope—until we are all free.

Women, girls, and trans people collaborated on the charter
Charter Goals Developed as a Result
Guiding Framework For a New Path of Freedom

Strengthening Organizational Capacity

Building the Infrastructure to Realize the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter

The creation of the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter was a monumental effort, involving over 500 directly impacted women, girls, and trans people over the course of four years. The result is a powerful and clear vision of a future where everyone can be free. As an organization, we have taken this work seriously, grounded in over 30 years of experience that demonstrates how deeply communities hold the answers to their own liberation.

The past two years marked Step One of our multi-year strategy to bring this vision to life. We understood that building the infrastructure necessary to support a growing movement was critical, and that infrastructure must be shaped by those leading the charge—directly impacted people. With our deep commitment to creating leadership pipelines and supporting leaders with lived experiences, we leveraged our expertise in guiding people with limited formal training but rich in lived knowledge. Coupled with our history of fiscal management, organizational leadership, and compliance, we built an infrastructure that empowers leaders to focus on their strengths while receiving essential backend support. This balance ensures compliance without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

Our Infrastructure: Built to Support and Sustain Movements

The Freedom Center, a division of ReImagine Freedom is staffed by a stellar C-suite team. This division provides exceptional backend support, fiscal sponsorship, and operational infrastructure for our internal organizations, including Young Women’s Freedom Center, Sister Warriors, Beloved Village, and the ReImagine Freedom Innovation Labs. Additionally, Freedom Center extends fiscal sponsorship to other movement organizations and emerging projects that align with the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter.

Expert Team:
We hired a skilled team to partner with our leaders and strengthen our infrastructure, ensuring that we are equipped to meet both organizational and movement needs.
New Leadership Structure:
We implemented a new leadership model with three Executive Directors overseeing major projects—Young Women’s Freedom Center, Beloved Village, and Sister Warriors—supported by a President who oversees backend operations and an infrastructure team focused on realizing the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter vision.
Job Creation and Investment:
We created 102 new jobs and invested $9.7 million in our base, which includes members, program participants, and directly impacted staff, to expand economic opportunities within our community.
New Initiatives:

Several new projects launched, including:

  • Beloved Village, our housing initiative aimed at ending the incarceration of girls and trans youth in California by addressing poverty and housing insecurity as root causes.
  • Fiscal Sponsorship of Emerging Projects, providing operational support to grassroots organizations working toward freedom and justice.
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Why We Invest In Fiscal Sponsorship

Starting a new organization is challenging, but building one with compliant, community-centered infrastructure is even more difficult. Many fiscal sponsors operate without the insight of the very communities they aim to serve, often leading to unforeseen issues that hinder their progress.

Recognizing this gap, we expanded our own fiscal sponsorship model. Just as Sister Warriors was born from the need for directly impacted women, girls, and trans people to shape policy, we built an infrastructure that centers their needs. Our fiscal, operational, and HR policies are designed to support the organizations we serve while staying true to the people they serve. This model ensures that grassroots projects receive not only operational support but also the freedom to focus on their mission without bureaucratic burdens.

Why Support Our Infrastructure Investment?

The infrastructure we’ve built is designed to carry our movement forward. It’s more than just backend operations—it’s the backbone of a future rooted in equity, justice, and liberation. We’ve proven our commitment to fiscal responsibility and excellence in organizational management, all while creating leadership pathways for directly impacted people.

As we look to the future, we invite our supporters to trust in this vision and double down on their investment. Our infrastructure is ready to support bold action, drive systemic change, and transform the lives of women, girls, and trans people across California and beyond. This is the moment to deepen your partnership with us and help realize the vision of the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter.

Sponsored Projects

Our initiative incubates, nurtures, and launches new projects, ideas, and strategies with a focus on building economic pathways and power at scale for women, girls, and trans people of all genders who have experienced poverty, exploitation and incarceration.

We launched in 2024 in a week-long bootcamp focused on creativity, fashion, and entrepreneurship in collaboration with The Campus. We invited emerging entrepreneurs and spent the week designing and developing products and learning how to bring vision to life.

In 2025, ReImagine Freedom Innovation Labs is working on incubating a business in the beauty space and supporting emerging entrepreneurs from our base.

 

All Youth Are Sacred (AYAS) is a narrative power-building initiative with a mission to empower youth to tell their stories and tackle criminalizing narratives that fail to capture the decreasing numbers of youth arrests and incarceration. AYAS is building and nurturing power at the local and state level through a shared framework that shifts the belief that young people should be punished when they make mistakes, and holds that healing and rehabilitation happens in the community, not through confinement and carceral systems.

AYAS believes that if ALL youth are seen through the lens of sacredness and valued as such, then funding priorities will shift toward community-led solutions, policy priorities will shift and transform from punitive approaches, and we will build a “village response” to hold young people.

AYAS’s approach to safety reflect that it is the entire community’s responsibility to provide young people and by extension, their families, with basic needs to ensure they are set up for success rather than failure and incarceration.

Website: https://www.transformjusticeca.org/all-youth-are-sacred-news-feed
Contact: youthnarrativepower@gmail.com

Founded in 2020, the Community Wellness Fund (CWF) provides scholarships for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community activists, healers, and leaders to access vital opportunities for rest and healing in nature. They believe when community leaders have time and space to rejuvenate, they can dream, reclaim their power, and break free from systems of oppression. As BIPOC community leaders, they strive to give more BIPOCs a safe space and fertile ground to envision with greater possibility.

With their partners at Hestia Retreat Sanctuary, an AAPI woman-led outdoor equity initiative, they have launched the Rest is Resistance campaign to support 100 community leaders with funding for a weeklong sabbatical. These experiences will be enhanced by transformative healing sessions provided by a trusted network of healers, coaches, and wellness practitioners.

CWF’s goal is to raise $1 million by 2027, enabling them to offer scholarships each year to hundreds of individuals from underserved, low-income communities, allowing them to find solace and inspiration in nature.

Website: communitywellnessfund.com

Project Protocol is an online platform that empowers people on parole by providing a space to anonymously share their experiences with parole officers, access essential reentry resources, and register to vote now that their right to vote has been restored. Our mission is to empower people on their reentry journey with community-driven resources and a space to share collective experiences.

By leveraging community-driven insights and data, we advocate for systemic reforms prioritizing dignity and support over punishment. Our platform also features a comprehensive resource directory that allows people to search for housing, employment, healthcare, and legal services to help them rebuild their lives.

To learn more about Project Protocol, please contact Emiliano López at emiliano@projectprotocol.org or visit our website at https://projectprotocol.org.

 

Investing in the Leadership of Those Most Impacted:

At the core of our work across Young Women’s Freedom Center (YWFC), Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, and Beloved Village is the belief that true equity, freedom, and liberation require more than new policies—they require new leadership. We prioritize investing in the leadership of those most impacted by poverty, exploitation, and incarceration, particularly women, girls, and trans people of all genders. Our focus is especially on Black women, girls, and trans people who have experienced the harshest forms of oppression, yet carry the wisdom and resilience needed to drive lasting change.

Our approach is rooted in the belief that those who have endured systemic oppression and reflected on their experiences are uniquely positioned to lead. They understand the full impact of oppression on individuals and communities, equipping them to imagine and create a future where all people stand in their full humanity.

Grounded in a pedagogy informed by past movements and evolving through new learnings, we build leadership capacity within our communities. We believe that abundant leadership is essential to achieving the vision of the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter, and we are proud to continue the legacy of YWFC by nurturing leaders who were once marginalized but are now advancing justice and liberation across various sectors.

 

The Liberation Institute:

Three Areas of Leadership Transformation

1. Investing in Black Leadership

We are dedicated to cultivating leadership among Black women, girls, and trans people within our organizations. In partnership with Dr. Marilyn Jones and Because Black is Still Beautiful, we launched the Araminta Approach, a transformative framework for recovery and reentry focused on Black women and girls. This approach has significantly increased leadership pathways from entry-level participation to advanced roles, making leadership more accessible for Black participants.

2. Developing Senior Leadership for People of Color, Formerly Incarcerated People, and Women and Non-Binary People
Across our ecosystem, we have supported three Executive Directors and six senior leaders of color—many of whom are formerly incarcerated—in stepping into new leadership roles. This expansion has allowed us to grow our organizations, launch new initiatives, and build more robust leadership structures.
3. Nurturing Emerging Leaders
In 2024, we launched a Leadership Bootcamp for emerging leaders across the Freedom Center ecosystem. The program provides over 96 hours of training, coaching, and mentoring in leadership, political education, management, and strategy. This ensures a steady pipeline of emerging leaders prepared to take on key roles within our movement.

Investing in Black Leadership

Leadership development within directly impacted Black communities remains a priority. In 2024, five Black leaders from across our ecosystem played a pivotal role in passing AB 2740, a bill that increased the rights of pregnant women in California’s prison system. Working through the Black Futures Lab, these leaders drew on their own experiences to shape this critical legislation. Their work highlights the power of directly impacted leaders in shaping policies for systemic change.

The Araminta Approach: Empowering Black Women and Girls: Our partnership with Dr. Marilyn Jones, Ph.D., to implement the Araminta Approach has been transformative. This theoretical framework supports successful reentry for Black women and girls, and its impact has been profound:

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The program has significantly increased the leadership pipeline for Black women and girls, creating pathways from entry-level participation to advanced leadership positions within our organizations.
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The implementation of the Araminta Approach has led to shifts in YWFC’s program strategies to better meet the needs and desires of Black participants. By centering their voices, we have created spaces where Black women and girls feel seen, heard, and valued, which has enhanced their sense of empowerment and self-actualization.

Expanding the Araminta Approach

In 2025, due to its success, the Araminta Approach will become a core strategy of ReImagine Freedom, alongside a broader commitment to advancing Black leadership throughout our ecosystem. We will continue our partnership with Dr. Marilyn Jones to focus on investing in emerging Black leaders, ensuring that more Black women, girls, and trans people of all genders step into leadership roles to drive transformative change.

Why Leadership Matters

For grassroots social justice organizations, investing in leaders with lived experiences of oppression is key to dismantling the systems that harm us. By nurturing a new generation of leaders, we not only strengthen our organizations but also lay the foundation for a future grounded in justice and liberation for all.

Shifting Narrative

Freedom Research Institute

Since its founding, The Freedom Research Institute has been dedicated to transforming research by centering the knowledge and expertise of those most impacted—particularly system-involved and formerly incarcerated women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals. Our approach decolonizes the research process, dismantling traditional power dynamics in knowledge production and shifting harmful narratives about who can be considered an expert. Through collaborative researchers with diverse backgrounds, we share findings with communities through art, podcasts, animations, and other accessible formats, making data widely available and useful. The impact of this work is expansive, providing critical data to influence policy at local, regional, and national levels, while also informing the fields of social justice and philanthropy to ensure research that supports organizing and advocacy efforts, creating meaningful, community-centered change that empowers those most impacted to define, produce, and disseminate knowledge that serves their needs and drives equity.

In 2023, the Freedom Research Institute, in collaboration with the Vera Institute of Justice, released a groundbreaking report titled Freedom and Justice: Ending the Incarceration of Girls and Gender-Expansive Youth in California. This comprehensive report is the result of a two-year, multidisciplinary, mixed-methods study led by Young Women’s Freedom Center and Vera Institute of Justice. As a community-based research project, it combines quantitative data, in-depth qualitative analysis, and insights from interviews with 50 system-involved women, girls, and gender-expansive youth across California.

System -Involved Women, Girls, and Gender-Expansive Youth across CA
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Multidisciplinary, mixed method study led by YWFC
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The report serves as a vital resource for policymakers, funders, advocates, and communities, providing historical context on girls’ incarceration, key quantitative and qualitative findings, and a roadmap for ending the criminalization and incarceration of girls and gender-expansive youth. This publication exemplifies the Freedom Research Institute’s commitment to collaborative, community-centered research that equips stakeholders with actionable data to drive meaningful policy change. This report shows that ending the incarceration of girls and gender-expansive youth is not only possible but a critical step toward fostering their freedom, safety, and well-being. Rather than responding to safety concerns with custody, we must invest in communities creating safe, supportive environments where young people are valued, respected, and able to thrive, and dismantle broken systems and build comprehensive, community-based supports.

Over the last decade, girls’ arrests in California have fallen by 81% and girls’ detentions by 72%. The report makes clear, by investing in gender-sensitive, community-based solutions, California can confront the forces funneling girls into juvenile jails and prisons and ultimately get to zero incarcerations.

Looking ahead, the Freedom Research Institute will continue to grow and deepen its impact by leveraging data and research to shift narratives and drive transformative change. We are committed to advancing the goals of the Sister Warriors Freedom Charter, using innovative approaches to explore, evaluate, and actualize community-led solutions toward economic power and freedom. By transforming how stories are told and owned, we aim to empower those most impacted to reclaim their narratives and lead in developing solutions that address the root causes of system involvement. This work will not only amplify the voices and expertise of system-impacted women, girls, and gender-expansive people but also set a new standard for how research can serve as a tool for liberation, advocacy, and systemic change.

Girls arrested in CA have fallen
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Girls' detentions in CA have fallen
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In the News

Our Communications Strategy

Since 2022, we have increased the capacity of our communications department to carry out thoughtful, inventive, and skillful communications to increase the organization’s reach and the thought leadership of our leaders at every level. We achieved great success, with a reach of 8.76 billion and $81 million in earned media advertising value equivalent. Our social media strategy led to 4,810 mentions, contributing to a 680% increase in engagement across platforms. We also grew our digital community to 12,000 engaged subscribers.

Social Media Reach
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Earned Media Advertising Value Equivalent
$ 0 M
Increase in Engagement Across Platforms
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Mentions on Social Media
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Engaged Subscribers
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We were featured in these key publications:

Our Programs: Young Women's Freedom Center

Letter From Julia

Dear Community,

Looking back at the past two years, one thing is clear: it has taken a village to get us here. We are proud of the hard work of our team, the generosity of our donors, and the strength of the young people who have shown up with determination, reclaiming their innate brilliance and power. These young people have taken control of their lives and are breaking free from the systems that have harmed them. Our work is to ensure that they are truly seen, that they have opportunities to heal, and access to the knowledge of their ancestors and the space to imagine new futures.

Our goal is not to save young people, but to create real safety and support for them. This work becomes even more urgent as we continue to lose young people we love to violence at the hands of their partners, the community, and the state. It is heartbreaking to bury them, to support their families, and to hold our community together in the wake of such devastating losses. Yet, even in the midst of this pain, we hold onto hope. We create space for the young women and trans youth who have survived these same conditions to heal, to become whole, to dream about what is possible for their futures, and to transform the very conditions that have stolen the lives of so many of our beloved youth.
As we move forward, we are inspired by the unwavering support of our allies. We are deeply thankful that you have stood by us through our hardest challenges and during our moments of growth. From our entire team here at YWFC, THANK YOU! Because of you, 2022 and 2023 were years of success and transformation.

In Solidarity,

Julia Arroyo

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Young Women’s Freedom Center

Success In Numbers

System-Impacted Youth Served
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Freedom Charter #1

We have the right to self determination. We must determine what success looks like for ourselves. We have the right to lay our own paths free from punitive and controlling systems and to input and voice our input and opinions about all services impacting our lives.

Freedom Charter #4

We have a right to access cultural, holistic, and professional methods of healing to address the trauma we are exposed to while we are involved in the system and when we leave them. We have the right to access healing prior to coming into contact with systems and as a key to preventing systems involvement. We should not be punished for our pain, exploitation, and trauma. We need healing, not punishment when we self-medicate for our trauma and grief.

15,780

Hours Invested In Leadership Training and Healing

257

Youth Development Hours in Juvenile Hall Detention

1,695

Hours of Court/Systems Advocacy

87.4%

Reduction In Recidivism

My mom used to call me a [redacted] criminal and she used say I was worthless, call me a fuck up, like everything in the book and my whole family would look at me like that. And now like everyone just looks at me– like my family, like they’re impressed with me. Like my grandma called me the other day and was like, “I got a newspaper on my front door and you’re on it. You’re on the front page…” Like, people look at me like… maybe you did have a rough start, but look what you turned it into. You were able to turn it around in a way where you’re able to help other people get outta their rough patch. Like turn their life around. So I feel like people look at me now, it’s like, like an inspiration type of thing.

Our Programs: Sister Warrior's Freedom Coalition

Letter From Amika

Dear Community,

As a co-founder and the first Executive Director of Sister Warriors, I am continually inspired by our members’ relentless fight for justice and dignity. We are a mighty team of warriors, many of us having endured the pain of incarceration and family separation, which gives us a deep understanding of the reality facing women and trans people of all genders behind California’s prison walls. We know that no one is coming for us but us, and we carry the voices and power of thousands of Sister Warriors with us into every room we enter. We are no longer asking for permission—we demand immediate change.

In 2022 and 2023, we worked tirelessly to end the widespread sexual violence by prison staff in women’s prisons. We spoke with 700 incarcerated people and produced a legislative report that informed policy changes to better protect those inside and respond to incidents of assault. We also launched our first ambassador program inside prisons to build a robust membership among incarcerated people.

The work over the past two years has been incredibly difficult. Many of us are triggered daily by the trauma we’ve experienced, yet we understand the power we must command to create the change we are charged with making. We are steadfast in our mission to realize Freedom 2030 and end the criminalization and incarceration of women, girls, and trans people of all genders in California. Our commitment is unwavering as we work to end state-sanctioned violence and create pathways for healing, re-entry, and reunification.

We take this work seriously, knowing that the path to freedom is in our hands. Together, we are demanding transformation, holding hope, and pushing forward toward a future where safety and justice belong to all of us.

In Solidarity,

Amika Mota

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sister Warriors

Success In Numbers

Members
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Freedom Charter #2

We have the right to be free from sexual, gender based, and physical violence, abuse, and exploitation perpetrated by our families, partners, community, the State, and institutions. We have a right to defend ourselves from intimate, community, State, and institutional violence.

Freedom Charter #14

We have the right to be consulted when institutions want to create, revise, and eliminate policies, legislation, rules, or laws that will impact the way we experience systems. We are best positioned to identify alternatives to incarceration, criminalization, and family separation. We should have insight over the systems and institutions that most impact us.
Hours of System Navigation Support
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Hours of Re-Entry Support
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Program Participants Inside Prisons
0
Hours of Programs inside Prisons
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Our Growth

In 2017, Young Women’s Freedom Center launched the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition as a strategy to build the collective power of women, girls, and trans people of all genders who had experienced incarceration, exploitation, and life on the streets. This initiative began with a gathering in Oakland, where members united to better understand the full extent of their criminalization. The goal was to develop solutions that addressed the root causes of gender-based violence, poverty, and mass incarceration. Building on the successes of Young Women’s Freedom Center, the coalition sought to expand its power by base-building across California and beyond. It became clear that the movement couldn’t just influence policy; it needed to center the lived experiences of its members as the true experts in radically reshaping society.

Over the past two years, the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition has seen significant growth, including expanding its membership inside California’s women’s prisons and hiring its first full-time staff team. The coalition has also become an officially fiscally sponsored project of the Freedom Center, further solidifying its infrastructure and capacity to drive change.

Making Strides in Policy Change

Amidst a tumultuous political climate, Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition informed and won the following policy bills toward our Freedom 2030 goal to end the incarceration and criminalization of women and trans people of all genders in California over the past two years.

ACA 8 End Slavery in California - Now Prop 6 (Wilson)
The End Slavery in CA Act would allow Californians the opportunity to vote to amend Article 1, Section 6 of the State Constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude without exception.
AB 1186 (Bonta, 2024)
The REPAIR (Realizing Equity while Promoting Accountability and Impactful Relief) Act, a bipartisan bill that eliminates youth restitution fines and sets youth on a more meaningful path toward rehabilitation and accountability.
AB 2740 (Waldron, 2024)
Strengthens and extends prenatal and postpartum care for mothers incarcerated in state facilities. This bill will also expedite the application process for family visitation between a mother and their baby so that bonding can continue after the baby is removed.
AB 505 (Ting, 2023)

Fulfills California’s promise to youth by: 1. Promoting successful SB 823 implementation by ensuring the meaningful involvement of key community and state experts. and 2. Enabling the new youth ombudsperson and judges to fulfill their roles to protect the safety and dignity of all incarcerated youth.

SB 1069 (Menjivar, 2024)
will ensure that when survivors report staff sexual misconduct, there is oversight by an agency independent of CDCR. In Senator Menjivar’s words, “Incarcerated survivors of sexual misconduct deserve an unbiased and impartial review of their case. SB 1069 will ensure that victims who report will be taken seriously and that their cases will be investigated by an independent entity when necessary.”

Our Programs: Beloved Village

Letter From Alex

Dear Partners,

I joined the Beloved Village team because I was inspired by the bold, transformative vision of women, girls, and trans youth of all genders who have experienced incarceration and congregate care and are leading the charge to create an alternative system rooted in their power and real solutions for themselves, their families, and communities. After spending over 20 years leading housing programs for system-involved youth, I’ve seen firsthand the limitations and harm caused by conventional approaches. It has been my dream to be part of an organization that not only considers, but is actually driven by and committed to amplifying the voices of directly impacted people.

I am energized by the potential of Beloved Village to innovate and challenge our entrenched, dysfunctional, and retraumatizing systems. There is a vast space for advocacy and change when we acknowledge the deep harm that systems have historically inflicted on poor communities and people of color. As a lawyer, a licensed clinical social worker, and someone who has worked alongside young people entangled in the system for decades, I am excited to contribute my expertise in housing and direct services with a clear understanding of what works—and what doesn’t.

At Beloved Village, we’re building something powerful: a real alternative to incarceration and congregate care for girls and trans youth of all genders, not just in California but beyond. Our work will support the self-determination of directly impacted youth, their families, and their communities by creating innovative housing solutions and individualized support. Together, we will change the trajectories of lives that have been repeatedly tossed aside and harmed by intergenerational system entanglement.

Having spent years trying to mitigate harm for young people within broken systems, I am deeply aware of how harmful those so-called “solutions” can be. But now, through Beloved Village, I am thrilled to help build a new pathway—one that respects the vision and self-determination of young people and their families and leads toward true safety, healing, and joy.

In Partnership,

Alex Volpe

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Beloved Village

Initial Successes of Beloved Village

A Transformative Approach to Youth Justice

Launched in 2023 as a bold 3-year pilot, Beloved Village is building a much-needed alternative to incarceration and congregate care for girls and trans youth. The pilot’s aim is to demonstrate that when we rethink what true community safety looks like and invest directly in the young people and families most impacted by criminalization, we can achieve better life outcomes—not only for these youth but for their families, caretakers, and the wider community. Beloved Village is already proving that this community-based approach is more effective, fiscally responsible, and keeps everyone safer.

Beloved Village is a groundbreaking new initiative of the Freedom Center, rooted in over 30 years of advocacy by Young Women’s Freedom Center to create real alternatives to incarceration. We recognized that to truly end the incarceration of girls and trans youth, prevent family separation, and support reunification in California, we had to address poverty and the lack of stable housing—key drivers of criminalization.

Over the past year, Beloved Village has launched in four California counties: Los Angeles, Alameda, San Francisco, and Santa Clara. Through our work, we are ensuring that girls are released from juvenile detention to family or a supportive network of caregivers, that young people and their families receive the resources they need, and that they are empowered to make self-determined choices for their futures.

Learn more at belovedvillage.org.

Freedom Charter #10

We have a right to permanent, safe, and affordable housing that does not feel like the institutions that have harmed us. We deserve homes where we can rest, be at ease and are safe, and where we can raise our children and build our families. We have a right to be part of deciding our placement within jails, prisons, transitional housing, foster care, and/or group homes – including transferring to other facilities or placements.

Freedom Charter #11

We have the right to access (touch, hear, and see) our children, family, and loved ones when we are in the systems that criminalize and control us. We have a right to inform who cares for our children while we are unable to due to incarceration, houselessness, poverty, or other conditions. We have a right to get support and resources to stay connected to and reunite with our children as soon as we are able to.
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In just its first 12 months, Beloved Village has already achieved significant milestones:

Over $5 Million has been Raised to support expansion across four counties, thanks to a combination of state, county, and private philanthropic investments. This funding reflects growing confidence in the potential of community-driven solutions to youth justice.
0

Youth, their families, and caregivers

have been enrolled in the program, receiving the support they need to heal and thrive.
0

Young people have successfully transitioned out of the Secure Youth Treatment Program (SYTRP)

Youth who previously would have been incarcerated in California's youth prison system, but are now receiving community-based care instead of further detention in county facilities.

Finances

Financial information for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.

Donors (Fiscal Year 2022-203)

  • Government Funding
    • State of California
    • State of California: BSCC: Title II
    • State of California BSCC: Youth Reinvestment (YRG)
    • City of Oakland Office of Violence Prevention
    • San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Families
    • San Francisco, Department on the Status of Women
    • State of California GoBiz Cal CRG
    • County of Santa Clara
    • San Francisco Human Rights Initiative
    • EEP Economic Empowerment Program
    • City of Oakland Fund for Children and Youth
    • Santa Clara County: Office of LGBTQ Affairs
    • Foundations
      • Rosenberg Foundation
      • Akonadi Foundation
      • Allied Media Project (ION)
      • American Institute
      • Amity Foundation
      • Annenberg Foundation
      • Bessemer Giving Fund
      • California Healthcare Foundation
      • California Wellness Foundation
      • East Bay Community Foundation
      • Fidelity Charitable
      • Futures Without Violence All in for Kids Initiative
      • Glide Foundation
      • Goldhirsch Foundation
      • Harry & Maisie Masto Foundation
      • Hearthill Family Foundation
      • Hopper-Dean Foundation
      • InMaat Foundation
      • Jewish Community Federation
      • JP Morgan Chase
      • Liberty Hill
      • Ms. Foundation
      • Northern California Grantmakers
      • San Francisco Foundation
      • Satterberg Foundation
      • Sierra Health Foundation: 2023 Elevate Youth EYC YWFC
      • Sierra Health Foundation: Elevate Youth EYC Sister Warriors
      • Silicon Valley Community Foundation
      • The Heising-Simons Foundation
      • The Women’s Foundation of California
      • Tides Foundation
        • Advancing Girls (formerly NoVo Foundation)
        • Tides Advocacy
      • Vanguard Charitable
      • Walter & Elise Haas Fund
      • Youth Leadership Institute 2023 | Youth Leadership Institute
      • Zellerbach
      • Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund
      • Benevity Fund
      • Chamberlin Family Philanthropy
      • Daffy Charitable Fund
      • David W Allen 1989 Family Trust
      • Hewlett Matching Gifts
      • Lauren T Jones
      • Meta Platforms Inc.
      • MILPA
      • Natalie Hershlag
      • Neon
      • Network for Good
      • PayPal Giving Fund
      • PG&E Foundation
      • Schwab Charitable
      • SEI Giving Fund
      • Sony Music Group
      • U. S. Charitable Gift Trust
  • Individual Donors
    • Alisa Hartz
    • Alyson Jacks
    • Amelia Zgraggen
    • Amy Freeman
    • Amy Shoemaker
    • Andrea Salinas
    • Anna Katz
    • Anne Irwin
    • Annie Fryman
    • Araceli Tamayo-Lee
    • Arlyne Charlip
    • Becca Latto
    • Brooke Harris
    • Carol Cantwell
    • Cassandra Zawilski
    • Catherine Teare
    • Cecilia Chen
    • Chana Fitton
    • Cheryll Del Rosario
    • Courtney Lewis
    • Dafna Gozani
    • Daniel Meier
    • Danielle Guerin
    • Dennis Bolt
    • Dominic Marconi
    • DOMINIQUE DAVIS
    • Erin Callahan
    • Erin Casey
    • Francine Rios
    • Francine Sherman
    • Gabriel Kong
    • Ginger Jackson-Gleich
    • Gita DeVaney
    • Hannah Roeyer
    • Iris Biblowitz
    • Jaclyn Kimball
    • Jaki Murillo
    • Janis Strout
    • Jason Wyman
    • Jeff Cheung
    • Jennifer Waggoner
    • Jeremy Lee
    • Jodie Clark
    • John Claisse
    • John Flynn
    • Jordan Kushins
    • Joyce McCallister
    • Kailin Chou
    • Kaitlin Kelly-Hankin
    • Kathryn Kojimoto
    • Kendra Fox-Davis
    • Kit Hayes
    • Kiyoko S
    • Kristan Venegas
    • Laura Ridolfi
    • Lauren Fernandez
    • Leigh Kimberg
    • Linsey Morrison
    • Lisa Schottenfeld
    • Liz Murray
    • Logan Richard
    • Lois Brubeck
    • Louise Anderson
    • Lynn Johnson
    • Manny Yekutiel
    • Martha Ryan
    • Mary Lou Fulton
    • Mary Magee
    • Matt Capriotti
    • Metro Services Group
    • Michelle Glauser
    • Mimi Klausner
    • Mission Analytics Group, Inc.
    • Monica Flores
    • Nila Gonzales
    • Nina Sherpa-Pine
    • Nora Devine
    • Paige Clark
    • Paige Elizabeth
    • Pamela Shifman
    • Peggy Kroll
    • Penny Barthel
    • Quiver Watts
    • Rachel Krow-Boniske
    • Rebecca Gordon
    • Rescue Agency
    • Rhiannon Brogan
    • Robert Carson
    • Robin Morales
    • Roxie Hunt
    • Savanna Carson
    • Senait Tesfai
    • Shelley Griswold
    • Shikha Hutchins
    • Shimica Gaskins
    • Sophie Meryash
    • Stefanie Siegel
    • Steffi Brock-Wilson
    • Sydney Ji
    • Sylvia Elsbury
    • Tanika Carter
    • Tyler Schevers
    • Victoria Ng
    • Whitney Walker
    • Wine Down SF
    • Work with Meenadchi, LLC
    • Zoe Evans

Our People

ReImagine Freedom

Jessica Nowlan, President
Abigail Richards, Vice President
Anna Malaika Tubbs, Chief Advancement Officer

Communications
Thabile Makue, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer
Tori Gomez, Communications Manager
Jeong Stransky, Communications Manager
Toni Robinson, Communications Coordinator
Jade Hudson, Social Media and Influencer Marketing Associate

Finance
Sarah Burgaud, Chief Financial Officer
Open Position, Finance Director
Wally Yaya, Bookkeeper
Yunia Guardado, Finance Fellow

Human Resources and Operations
Lisette Cervano, Human Resources Director
Olivia Hoffman, Operations Manager
Layla Abdul-Haqq, Chief Executive Assistant
Lael Sha’har Jones, Executive Assistant

Young Women's Freedom Center

Julia Arroyo, Executive Director
Maya Davis, Chief Executive Assistant

San Francisco County
Lucero Herrera, YWFC San Francisco County Interim Director
Cee Cee Roberts, Self-Determination Coordinator
Ronesha Pointer, Program Manager
Sasha Walley, Program Manager
JuJu Prince, Statewide Policy Fellow

Alameda County/Oakland
Jasmine Frye, YWFC Alameda County Director
Cin Barron, Program Manager
Yaya Sigu, Self-Determination Coordinator
Jadalyn Yin, Self-Determination Coordinator

Contra Costa County/Richmond
Tumani Drew, YWFC Contra Costa County Director
Mica Herrera, Youth Organizer

Santa Clara County
Alexis Roman, YWFC Santa Clara County Director
Adreaonna Jansen, Program Manager
Janell Franco, Self-Determination Coordinator
AJ Noriega, Self-Determination Coordinator
Arabella Guevara, Self-Determination Coordinator
Peaches, Youth Organizer
Leah Garza, Youth Organizer

Los Angeles County
Dominique Davis, YWFC Los Angeles County Director
DeAnna Pittman, Program Manager of Youth Leadership & Policy
Araya Blakely, Manager of In-Detention Programs
Zinna Loren, Self-Determination Coordinator
Rockalle Johnson, Self-Determination Coordinator
Elanee Jarett, Self-Determination Coordinator
Wileisha Shipp, Self-Determination Coordinator
Rocio Vargas, Self-Determination Coordinator
Kalee Mathews, Youth Organizer
Brooklyn Love, Youth Organizer

Beloved Village

Alex Volpe, Executive Director
Desiree Victor, M.A., Program Director
LaTondra Williams, Program Coordinator & Executive Assistant
Nusayba Guiro, MSW Fellow

Bay Area
Loana Piper, Program Manager
Adanely Duenas, Self-Determination Coordinator

Los Angeles
Meagan Domingo, Program Manager
Eboney Ellis, Lead Parent Navigator
Omega Moore, Self-Determination Advocate
Kiara Johnson, Self-Determination Advocate

Sister Warriors

Amika Mota, Executive Director
Niki Martinez, Deputy Director
Analisa Zamora, Policy Director
April Grayson, Senior Policy Manager
Emily Wonder, Advocacy Director
Dominique Nong, Senior Manager of Youth Justice
Leanna Lindsay, Advocacy Coordinator

Board of Directors

Julie Posadas Guzman J.D., Chair
Nila Gonzales, Treasurer
Talia Fujita
Shimica Gaskins
Pamela Shifman
Jean Melesaine
Alejandra Gutierrez
Niyah Husbands
Kayla Cameron

Advisory Board

ReImagine Freedom
David Hornik, General Partner, Lobby Capital
Joe Marchese, Co-Founder + General Partner, Human Ventures & Casa Komos Brands Group
Nyakio Grieco, Co-founder of Thirteen Lune and Founder of Relevant: Your Skin Seen
Shane Goldsmith Murphy, President and CEO of Liberty Hill Foundation

“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”

-Audre Lorde