Upon her 2016 release from prison, Angelica tirelessly volunteered countless hours to GEM and made it her mission to give back what was freely given to her. Angelica believes in the power and beauty of the mother-daughter bond and knows from first-hand experience that by building such a bond can break the cycle of incarceration.  Angelica is committed to share to story of experience, strength and hope and to show by example the power of second of chances. 

Angelica earned her certification as a Peer Recovery Coach which certifies her to provide peer support for women throughout their life in recovery.  Prior to GEM, she was employed by Nexus Recovery Center, a drug and alcohol recovery center offering services to women and adolescent girls.  

Angelica may be contacted at angelica@girlsembracingmothers.org

After several successful years learning the ins and outs of the legal profession, Alicia felt strongly about connecting her experiences to deeper, more meaningful work. She relocated to Dallas, TX, and quickly became well acquainted with its non-profit and philanthropic community. It was here that she ultimately met Brittany K. Barnett (GEM Founder). The two were kindred spirits, and through their connection, Alicia found an opportunity to marry her corporate expertise with her growing desire to give back.

Alicia became heavily involved as a GEM volunteer in 2014. She transitioned out of corporate and began serving as primary support to Brittany K. Barnett. Soon after, she also began serving as the Special Projects Director for Girls Embracing Mothers. Simultaneously, she supported the Buried Alive Project (Brittany K. Barnett, Co-Founder) in the same capacity as the Special Projects Director.

Alicia’s passion to advocate for justice-involved individuals stems from personal experiences, and she is dedicated to championing for those adversely affected by the criminal justice system. She has an unwavering commitment to advocating for justice, equity, and opportunity for all.

Alicia may be contacted at  alicia@girlsembracingmothers.org

After serving the community as a nurse for over 33 years, Evelyn recently retired from nursing. She served as a nurse for over 5 years at Homeward Bound, a Dallas nonprofit offering complete substance abuse treatment, comprehensive residential, and outpatient programs. Prior to Homeward Bound, Evelyn worked with Resolana, a program of Volunteers of America Texas, that provides gender-specific programming to women, beginning inside the Dallas County Jail and continuing through re-entry into the community.

Evelyn is dedicated to sharing her story to help others. She wants women and girls who are impacted by the justice system to know that the cycle can be broken and the bonds between mothers and daughters can flourish – after all, she and her daughters are living proof.