The Perry ‘Second Chances’ Scholarship for Women

Hello! My name is Gabrielle Perry, MPH, and I am the founder and executive director of The Thurman Perry Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit that aims to provide direct-giving resources to formerly incarcerated women, with a special emphasis on Black women and women of color. Named for my deceased father and inspired by his love and generosity for not only me but his community, TPF is a people-focused organization. Seven years ago, I was arrested at a very young age for a non-violent, non-drug related crime. Though I was able to plead down to a misdemeanor charge and only spent one day in jail after paying restitution and court fees for my crime, the biases surrounding formerly incarcerated women that lead to homelessness, hunger, depression, job insecurity, unemployment, lack of educational opportunities, etc. tore my life apartment for a number of years. Yet, I was able to rebuild with the help of my community and finish multiple STEM degrees, my Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the prestigious Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and I am currently aspiring to attend medical school to supplement my epidemiological background with clinical credentials. At 28 years old, I also work as a published writer with Refinery29/VICE Media and POPSUGAR/Group Nine Media, with a goal of frequently informing the public of the obstacles formerly incarcerated women face.

With Black formerly incarcerated women having an unemployment rate of 43.1% (the national average is ~5%), 80% of incarcerated women being mothers, very few formerly incarcerated women having access to educational programs to further their options, and even less having the funding to afford them or progress within them, The Thurman Perry Foundation’s “The Perry ‘Second Chances’ Scholarship” is our solution to aiding women and young girls in pursuing their educational endeavors and furthering their dreams. Myself and my executive board, made up of criminal justice reform advocates and concerned citizens, implemented this scholarship as an insulated operation; all scholarships were funded by myself personally. Each year during our annual cycle, we aim to provide $1,000 scholarships to formerly incarcerated women that are enrolled in 2-4 year colleges, vocational schools, or universities. There is no GPA requirement and our application criteria is featured on our website. Each recipient of our scholarship is given their award via certified cashier’s check within 10 days of notification; with 80+% of formerly incarcerated women citing monetary resources and lack of opportunities as a barrier to successful re-entry, we at the Thurman Perry Foundation want to meet these women where they are and give them thehelp they need to survive and thrive like I was eventually able to do.

After an incredibly successful inaugural year (which you can read about on our website or hear directly from our winners in the videos embedded here) we hope to expand our influence to at least double our winners for the upcoming cycle. Each dollar donated is a direct influence upon the women in this sensitive population, who only need the support of the community at large to rebuild.

A criminal record of any kind is often a life sentence in its tangible impact upon the formerly incarcerated. The gendered trauma and repercussions for formerly incarcerated women is even more pronounced. Please consider donating to this worthy cause.

AOML,
G. 

LINK TO OUR WEBSITE: www.thurmanperryfoundation.org