Tina is a Grandmother and Mother of Four – And She’s Going Home
Dear Friends,
Tina is a grandmother and a mother of four, and this summer, she’s going home. Throughout her life, Tina has faced mental health challenges and sought to self-medicate with drugs. Eventually, she was convicted of credit card abuse and possession of drugs, resulting in a prison sentence.
Tina’s adult struggles with substance abuse were rooted in trauma she carried from her unstable childhood, which was shaped by extreme abuse and neglect. When she was just 11 years old, her own father gave her methamphetamine. A year later, Child Protective Services removed Tina from her parents’ house and sent her to live in a group home.
But Tina refused to let her past define her future. She entered prison with genuine regret and was determined to heal, grow, and give back. While incarcerated, Tina joined AA, received her GED, earned OSHA certifications, became a teacher’s aide, and completed the program Bridges to Life. She did everything in her power to better herself and make a new life.
Texas Defender Service was proud to represent Tina this year and share her story with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. We also shared how Tina planned to ensure her reentry would be successful; Tina had already lined up several job offers, made plans to live with a family member and his wife and kids, and forged connections to a local counseling center. She told the parole board, “I really just want to be proud of myself, learn from my past, build a future, and help others who are headed down the road I’ve traveled more than once.”
The parole board granted Tina a second chance and the opportunity to go home. Tina is one of 20 clients who have been granted parole with the help of our pro bono partners.
Tina’s release marks the beginning of a new chapter, with the opportunity to build a stable, productive life and make a positive influence on her community. Most of all, Tina is looking forward to the joys of family life, like making a garden and baking cookies with her grandkids. She and the family she’ll be living with have even been making plans to get a pig for their backyard.
With gratitude,
Burke Butler & Randi Chavez
Co-Executive Directors
Texas Defender Service
