Faces of Women Imprisoned
Voices of HOPE. AWARENESS. CHANGE.
FOWI Program
In 2018, we envisioned, developed, and launched a first-of-its-kind training program to prepare women and girls to be professional public speakers. We are a national leader in the conversation about how systemic racism, state-sanctioned violence, systems policing, and incarceration affect women and girls.
FOWI offers the tools, training, and resources for women to elevate their stories and change the narrative about who they are and what they can contribute to the world. It is an essential humanizing project that has the dual benefit of offering insight into individual lived experiences and providing directly affected women with a platform and entrepreneurial pathway to tell their stories and support themselves after incarceration.
The program is grounded in the understanding that women and girls offer a vital perspective on the overlapping systems that radically impact their lives. At the intersection of racism, sexual violence, and the criminal legal system, women and girls face outsized consequences, system involvement, and trauma.
Dr. Whitney Hollins
Global Objectives
FOWI is a storytelling project—#RewritingHerStory—that aims to affect multiple systems and systemic failures: housing, juvenile justice, family wellbeing, sexual violence, criminal justice, employment and education, and opportunity. Specific objective(s):
To change the narrative about women and girls most affected by the criminal justice system.
To transform the systems and policies that affect women by developing a cadre of professional public speakers who can use their lived experience to increase access to education, housing, and job opportunities for formerly incarcerated women.
To build robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning program to track activities, capture wins, evaluate and adjust training and learning and report progress publicly and vocally.
Gender Approach
It is essential to address trauma. The FOWI speakers have intergenerational trauma, but they also have intergenerational wisdom and power that they bring to this work. Current curricula and training emphasize their full power that builds through full self-expression and the ability to channel that trauma and pain for the purpose.
Monica Banks & Daughter Lyric
Developing & Fostering Entrepreneurship
At its core, FOWI is a training ground for entrepreneurs. Our LOHM Global Speakers Bureau is an entrepreneur support system. When we nurture entrepreneurship and pair it with support, we build self-sufficiency and illuminate pathways to independence and success. This shows up in their willingness to launch projects like standalone nonprofits, understand their role as independent, powerful women, and create businesses.
Meet the Speakers
FOWI cohorts empowering stories of resilience and hope.
Dee Rainer
Halimah Washington
Ivy Woolf Turk
Lauren Reed
Monica Banks
Starling Thomas
Wendi Cooper
Cass Severe
Cherie Cruz
Cheryl Harris
Colby Thompson
Dr. Zaria Davis
Evelina Williams
Kimberly Haven
Kristy Laschober
LaQuintae Bradley
Liliana Trafficante
Lonett Williams
Naquasia Pollard
Sherry Brent
Whitney Hollins
Alisa Smedley
Amy Roberts
Dolores Canales
Ericka Brewington
Nancy Fortunato
Nitchka Granger
Regina Wiley
Tashoy Miller
Frances Garcia Newsome
Amdiya Kyemtore
Claudia Santos
Dezi Lewis
Earika Palm
Ilene Rodriguez
Irdelisa Sanchez
Latarsha Haynes
Leonora Friday
Linda Anderson
Linda Gilbert
Loreen Peays
Nicole Carter
Sophie White
Tamu Walker
Yokasta Liriano
Cassandra Owens
Dr. Carmen Johnson
Elise Roper
Ife Garcia
Jessica Obrien
Marsha King
Mary Kay Harsch
Samira Dean
Senora Rudolph
Tanya Pierce
Hear their Stories
Rewriting Her Story is a groundbreaking collection of narratives written by six justice-impacted women from the Faces of Women Imprisoned (FOWI) program. This powerful book captures their lived experiences—from incarceration to redemption—and reclaims the dignity, power, and potential so often denied to women impacted by the criminal legal system.
These stories are raw, real, and revolutionary. They are stories of resilience, healing, and the unstoppable force of women rewriting their futures.
Applicant Eligibility
Must be a woman or identify as a woman who has been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, state-sanctioned violence, or indirectly through family members impacted by either institution.
Have reliable internet access and a device to attend live training sessions.
Able to commit to class once a week for the duration of the six-month virtual training.
FOWI Regular Track
The six-month course provides a safe space to address trauma and build self-sustainability, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship skills to empower women in their storytelling.
FOWI Fast Track
Faces Fast Track is a speakers' intensive course that focuses on sharpening your public speaking skills. This is an 8 week intensive public speaking training.
"The journey of each of these women demonstrates their strength, courage, and commitment. On behalf of Baloo, we are honored to provide a supportive tool that may bring comfort in a small, yet meaningful way as they re-enter the community."
Elizabeth Grojean
Founder & CEO, Baloo
Join Us in Making Change
Our Champions
.webp)
.png)
Contact
Get in Touch
We'd love to hear from you!