On a crisp, winter day earlier this month, 45-year-old Albuquerque native Dawn Green walked into the Roundhouse for the very first time.
Although a little nervous, more than anything she was eager to share her story. This was an opportunity years in the making. Dawn had recently been released from Springer Women’s Facility in Grants a mere seven weeks earlier after completing a three-year sentence.
A current client at Maya’s Place, Dawn joined a group of over 20 clients and staff from Crossroads for Women advocating for criminal justice reform as part of ACLU of New Mexico’s Smart Justice campaign. “While I was in prison I told myself that I was going to get out and try to be the voice for the unheard,” says Dawn. This year more than 70 New Mexicans attended End Mass Incarceration Day of Action on March 7 at the State Capitol.
“To be fresh out of prison, not even two months after getting out, and be able to go into a state building like that and be around such important lawmakers was huge for me,” says Dawn. “It felt good to not be seen in oranges or as a number. I was seen as a human being.”
“To be fresh out of prison, not even two months after getting out, and be able to go into a state building like that and be around such important lawmakers was huge for me.
It felt good to not be seen in oranges or as a number. I was seen as a human being.”
– Dawn Green, Maya’s Place client
After struggling with an addiction to pills, eventually the need for more prescription drugs led Dawn to start taking money from her employer. This resulted in embezzlement charges and a three-year prison sentence.
While serving time at Springer, Dawn received the devastating news that her mother had unexpectedly passed away. In order to receive mental health services to help process her mother’s death, Dawn was required to go through the lengthy process of filing a grievance. Her mother died in July 2017. She did not receive mental health services until October 2018 four months prior to her release.
“Only if you are suicidal or threaten to harm somebody are you considered a high priority. That really has to change,” says Dawn. “We are women coming from a background of abuse, drugs, you name it. There are things we need to process before we can come back out into the world and we don’t get that opportunity in prison.”
Dawn’s willingness to share her experience in prison and the great lack of mental health care caught the attention of many legislators on Lobby Day. She advocated for increased behavioral health interventions with House Bill 43 (HB 43) along with “Ban the Box” House Bill 96 (HB 96). Dawn says every representative she spoke to was for banning the box except one. Hearing the words “you have my vote” boosted her confidence and resolve to be a voice for women and men in the prison system.
As a client at Maya’s Place, Dawn is working to address her addiction and mental health while also finally starting to process the loss of her mother. “I’m just processing that now because in prison it’s not really a place you want to show emotion,” she says. “It’s been almost two years and it’s still as sharp as it was the first day I found out.”
A mother of six herself, Dawn says Sunday dinner has always been an important part of her family dynamic. Now the best part of her week is once again routine. “We have Sunday dinner at Maya’s together every week as though we were at home. It’s family time.”
What’s her kids’ dish of choice? “They really like my lasagna,” she says with a smile. “Every weekend it’s something different–lasagna, enchiladas, burgers, homemade taquitos, spaghetti. My kids will call me on Wednesday and tell me what they want for Sunday dinner. We made cheesecakes this past Sunday which was really fun.”
“While I was in prison I told myself that I was going to get out and try to be the voice for the unheard. Anytime I get nervous I just remember the cause. I remember the purpose of what I’m doing and that takes away every other emotion. To empower myself and empower other people like me, that means more than anything.”
“I consider this my debriefing being here at Maya’s,” says Dawn. From Sunday dinners to attending her twelve-step meetings, Dawn feels like she’s getting to know herself better and pointing her life in a positive direction. She’s applied to take the Peer Support Specialist certification this May so she can continue giving back to others and sharing her experience.
Her new beginning is still in its infancy and not without challenges. But Dawn is determined to navigate this next chapter with strength and resolve. She’s motivated by her children, the staff support at Maya’s, and the opportunity to have a voice.
“While I was in prison I told myself that I was going to get out and try to be the voice for the unheard,” she says. “Anytime I get nervous I just remember the cause. I remember the purpose of what I’m doing and that takes away every other emotion. To empower myself and empower other people like me, that means more than anything.”
Written by Clarissa Earl