My college graduation should have been one of the happiest days of my life. Instead, my father, now in his 43rd year of incarceration, couldn’t be there to watch me walk across the stage. That moment crystallized what 94,000 Louisiana children face every day: growing up with a parent behind bars, experiencing milestones alone, and navigating a world that tells them they don’t matter.
I refused to accept that narrative. In May 2018, I founded Daughters Beyond Incarceration (DBI) to dismantle the stigma against Black girls with parents in prison and transform their pain into policy change.
The Crisis & Our Solution
Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the nation. Nearly one in seven Louisiana children, four times the national average, experience parental incarceration. For Black children, rates are six times higher than their white peers. These children face elevated risks of depression, PTSD, school suspension, and justice system involvement.
But research proves that connection changes outcomes. When incarcerated parents maintain relationships with their children, recidivism drops over 30%, and children’s educational outcomes improve dramatically.
Proven Impact
Since 2018, DBI has served over 200 families, providing mentorship, mental health support, and advocacy training. We’ve trained 20+ young women as policy advocates who are passing real legislation:
– Virtual graduation attendance for incarcerated parents
– Free phone calls from Louisiana prisons
– Louisiana Council on Children of Incarcerated Parents within the Governor’s office
This year, our Policy Fellowship trained five high school girls who presented original research to state policymakers at the Capitol. Our 2nd Annual Youth Day brought students from 11 schools across Louisiana to speak directly with legislators.
As I tell policymakers: Our youth are talking, but you aren’t listening. DBI ensures they’re heard.
Stronger Together for Girls
This December, our Stronger Together for Girls campaign supports the next generation of leaders. Your gift powers transformation:
– $50 – One month of programming for one girl
– $250 – Policy advocacy training at the State Capitol
– $1,000 – Virtual visitation technology for one family for a year
– $3,000 – Full year of comprehensive services for one girl
When we send a parent to prison, we sentence their children too. But through youth-centered programming and unwavering advocacy, DBI is proving cycles can break, and our girls’ voices can transform justice systems.
- Dominque Jones-Johnson, Founder & Executive Director
Daughters Beyond Incarceration
504-255-5573 | dbinola.org
