WHO IS TANAINE?

Tanaine Jenkins is a nationally recognized strategist, speaker, and advocate for criminal justice reform. In 2025, she received the Advocacy & Justice Champion Award in recognition of her groundbreaking work to reduce recidivism and eliminate the invisible sentence faced by returning citizens. She is one of six Americans featured in an upcoming feature-length documentary, set for release in late 2025, highlighting individuals who refuse to let their past define their future and are boldly rewriting their stories. As a TEDx speaker, award-winning reentry strategist, and Director of the Florida Safety Coalition, Tanaine continues to use her voice and lived experience to lead systemic change, proving what’s possible when people are given a second chance and choose to use it with purpose.

Thirteen years ago, I came home after serving my sentence , and while I was free in body, I soon realized I was still confined in mind. My first job was at a logistics company, earning just above minimum wage, while carrying over $20,000 in restitution. I worked hard, but I felt like I was spinning my wheels, still defined by my past.

It took eight long years after my release to truly feel free. Though I had long left the prison walls behind, I was still breaking free from the invisible ones in my mind.

That journey is what drives me today. Because of my own experience with the criminal justice system, I’m committed to helping returning citizens achieve not only physical freedom—but mental, emotional, and spiritual freedom too.