Meet Pamela Winn

We were lucky to catch up with Pamela Winn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Pamela , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I was sentenced to serve 78 months at a federal prison for a white-collar crime when I was six weeks pregnant. Anytime I had to be transported, I was shackled. Shackling included being chained at my ankles with another chain around my belly that bound my hands in front of my waist with a black box.

While shackled, attempting to step up into a van, I fell. A couple days later I begin spotting with streaks of blood, which I reported to the medical staff for approximately two weeks with no response. The initial reply I finally received was that bleeding was normal with pregnancy. Then they informed me that the prison was structured for men and had literally “no” means of caring for me and would have to get approval from the U.S. Marshals to take me to the emergency room.

The turnaround time for the request and approval ended up being four weeks. At that point, it was no longer an “emergency,” so I was turned away and unable to be treated at the emergency room. The ER physician recommended an obstetrician but was told by the transporting officers that I was only approved for an emergency room visit. I then required a second approval for an obstetrician, which took four more weeks. The obstetrician would need an ultrasound which was not performed on site, therefore requiring a third approval. Once I received the ultrasound, follow-up was required, and a fourth approval was requested. I ended up miscarrying at approximately 20 weeks without any formal or proper prenatal care.

To add insult to injury, I was assigned to a cell on a second floor and my request to be moved fell upon deaf ears causing me to have to climb steps daily. There was a fountain that provided brown water. I protested to the warden, who agreed to provide me with ice daily which did not occur.

When I was miscarrying, I lay wet in blood, locked in a dark cell, curled up in excruciating pain until an officer made rounds roughly five hours later because there was no emergency call button or any way to notify anyone of my situation. I suffered the entire miscarriage shackled to the bed with two male officers between my legs. I was dehumanized with no privacy. When the nurse stated I had passed the fetus and asked for the linen that I had soiled. She said that my baby was in the linen. She was told by the officers that the linen which contained my unborn child had been thrown in the trash. I had no counseling, nor any opportunity to grieve my miscarriage. Directly after, I was placed in solitary confinement for eight months to be tortured by reliving that moment and hearing the words “the baby is in the trash” over and over. The people were trying to “destroy” me and in that moment, I knew my purpose was to make sure that no woman ever experience what I had overcome.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I returned home from incarceration with passion to put my purpose into action. I created my nonprofit organization RestoreHER US.America, that advocates policy change to end mass incarceration and prison birth of women. In 2018, I started a petition with Change.org to advocate the Dignity For Formerly Incarcerated Women’s Act that received over 100,000 signatures in less than a month and an endorsement from Senator Cory Booker. In 2019. I drafted the language for women in the historical federal legislation HR5682, First Step Act signed by President Donald Trump that bans shackling and solitary confinement of incarcerated pregnant women. As the President of RestoreHER, I spearheaded the historical unanimous passing of HB345 Dignity For Incarcerated Women Act GA, hosted by Chairwoman Sharon Cooper. To date, we have advocated the passing of Dignity For Incarcerated Women GA in 21 states. In 2021, RestoreHER partnered with Reform Alliance to pass SB105 Probation Reform Act GA hosted by Chairman Brian Strickland that allows Georgians to terminate their probation in three years and voting rights re-enfranchisement for people with felony convictions.
In 2021, I was recognized by Forbes 50 over 50 Impact List of top women leaders for social change in the United States, My short -film documentary WINN Movie is the winner of several film festivals including the PBS Shorts Film Fesvital. I have been featured in Rolling Stone, Essence Magazine, Atlanta Magazine, ATL Voyage and many other media outlets. I am a recipient of the 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
There are three monumental insights I have maintained my entire life regardless of any circumstances and despite the lowest times I have experienced. As a little girl, I can remember both my maternal and paternal grandmothers instilled these qualities within me. Growing into a woman, I have nurtured and reenforced these three qualities that allow me to overcome and stand strong through any situation: 1. KNOW WHO YOU ARE – Knowing who you are is critical in loving yourself as well as keeping you rooted in your personal standards. It allows you to know that you will make mistakes, feel embarrassment, and experience failure; however, these things do not define you. THERE IS ONLY “ONE” YOU! CHERISH YOU! LOVE YOU! You can be imitated but never duplicated.
2. KNOW YOUR VALUE – Know that you bring a uniqueness to life that only YOU can. It’s really simple, understand the importance and usefulness that you bring to people and situations.
3. KNOW YOUR WORTH – Know that you deserve the best and demand the best. Do not allow anyone to undermine, underestimate, or make you feel inferior.

These are qualities that any person can own at any time in their lives. The easiest way to develop these qualities is to focus on SELF LOVE.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
RestoreHER US.America’s mission is to enhance the lives of directly impacted people and partner with those individuals to end mass incarceration and prison birth in America. We offer a variety of ways to connect, partner, and empower the community.

ACC=SS is our newly mobile app designed to connect people with resources and resources to people.If you are looking for resources or provide resources sign up at https://app.weareit.guru/

Our initiative IMPPACT provides assistance for eligible people to terminate their probation in 3 years and educating folks with felony convictions of their right to vote. If you have been on probation at least 3 years or have a felony and want to vote connect with IMPPACT at https://linktr.ee/imppact

We are always looking for interns, volunteers, and to work with any person that want to support our mission to enhance the lives of directly impacted women and promote family unification to end mass incarceration and prison birth of women in America. You can partner with us by email, info@restoreher.us, signing the petition (https://www.change.org/RestoreHERDIGNITY), visiting our website, and/or joining our social media campaigns.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Major Melissa Golden Dwayne Young

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