From Prison to State House Rep - The Tarra Simmons Story
Manage episode 465596343 series 3645389
How does someone go from prison to becoming an attorney, and State Representative? Tara Simmons shares her inspiring story of overcoming adversity and turning her life around after experiencing extreme poverty, substance abuse, and incarceration. She dropped out of middle school at 13, got pregnant at 14, but eventually found her way back to school and graduated high school. She went on to earn a nursing degree and became a nurse. However, she fell into substance abuse again and ended up in prison. After her release, she decided to pursue a law degree and was admitted to law school. She became an advocate for criminal justice reform and was appointed to various positions, including co-chair of the Statewide Reentry Council by the governor of Washington State. Tarra Simmons shares her journey of overcoming barriers and achieving success after being incarcerated. She faced numerous challenges, including being denied the opportunity to take the bar exam despite graduating Magna Cum Laude, and having the support of many influential individuals. However, she persevered and fought for her rights, eventually winning a unanimous decision from the Supreme Court to take the bar exam. Tarra's story is a testament to resilience and the power of never giving up on one's dreams. She has since become an attorney and a state legislator, advocating for criminal justice reform and supporting others who have been justice-impacted. Show sponsors: White Collar Support Group prisonist.org START HERE, Autoplazadirect.com "Your personal car concierge."
176 episodes