Kelly Garcia-Chavez
Voting Rights Advocate
Justice Advisory Board, ACLU of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM USA
“If you’ve been incarcerated, your path doesn’t define who you are today. It will never define that.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationKelly Garcia-Chavez
Milestones
My road in life has taken me all over.
I was sentenced as a juvenile and ultimately spent 18 years in prison.
When I first got to prison, I spent a lot of time in solitary confinement because I kept fighting and getting into trouble.
I finally changed my mindset, hit the books, and earned both my GED and a bachelor’s degree in psychology while in prison.
After realizing the injustices that were happening in prison, I began doing advocacy work from the inside to expose those realities.
I was released in 2014 and completed my parole successfully.
Now I’m involved with Millions for Prisoners and the ACLU of New Mexico to advocate for justices like voting rights for incarcerated people.
Education
GED
Career
Voting Rights Advocate
I fight against injustices and advocate for voting rights for incarcerated people.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Politics
Government
Upholding a Cause and Belief
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I can't tell people that I was formerly incarcerated. It's shameful and they'll judge me."
Challenges I Overcame
Formerly Incarcerated
Mental Health Issues
Interviewed By
Being Free
Formerly incarcerated people find purpose
