SIRVORIS SUTTON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/Co-FOUNDER
SIRVORIS IS A NATIVE OF ATLANTA gEORGIA. SIRVORIS WAS EXCLUSIVELY EDUCATED IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF DEKALB COUNTY. HE ATTENDED KELLY LAKE ELEMENTARY FROM KINDERGARDEN TO SEVENTH GRADE. AFTER GRADUATING FROM KELLY LAKE ELEMENATARY, SIRVORIS ATTENDED GORDON HIGH, WHERE HE EXCELLED ACADEMICALLY AND IN THE FIELD OF ATHLETICS. NOVEMBER OF 1991 WOULD PROVE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND LIFE CHANGING MOMENTS OF HIS LIFE. SIRVORIS WOULD BE TRIED AND CONVICTED OF A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT AND GIVEN A MANDATORY LIFE SENTENCE. DURING HIS TIME SERVED AT THE LOUISIANA STATE PENITENTIARY, SIRVORIS DEVELOPED MANY PROGRAMS GEARED TOWARDS THE TOTAL HEALING AND REHABILIATION OF INCARCERATED CITIZENS. THESE PROGRAMS WOULD HELP FORM THE BASIS AND INSPIRATION IN THE CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE H.O.P.E. FOUNDATION. WITH 31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE INSIDE ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE PENAL SYSTEMS IN AMERICA, MR. SUTTON HAS INVESTED MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS OF HIS TIME STUDYING AND DEVELOPING PRATICAL AND MEASURABLE PROGRAMS GEARED TOWARDS HELPING OTHER PEOPLE EVOLVE AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF PRISON. ON NOVEMBER 7, 2022, SIRVORIS BECAME ONE AMONGST THE MOST FORTUNATE INCARCERATED CITIZENS TO BE BLESSED ENOUGH TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PRISON WALLS OF ANGOLA. HE’S PERSONALLY DETERMINED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO ARE RETURNING TO SOCIETY, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE IN SOCIETY WHO NEED A STRONG WORD, A STRONG MIND, A STRONG HEART, TO HELP REDIRECT THEIR PATH. SIRVORIS IS A GIFTED PUBLIC SPEAKER WITH THE NATURAL ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. " THE TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND BE THE DIFFERENCE STARTS NOW…. EVERY BREATH WE TAKE IS APART OF THE LEGACY WE LIVE AND LEAVE UPON THE UNMERITED GRACE AND MERCY GOD SO GRACIOUSLY BESTOWED UPON EVERY HUMAN BEING HE CREATED FOR HIS OWN GOOD PLEASURE."
CAMMIE MATURIN
pRESIDENT/CO-FOUNDER
CAMMIE WAS Born and raised in New Iberia, LA.
Cammie graduated from New Iberia Senior High IN 1995. After high school, she continued her education at University of Southwestern Louisiana, which is now University of Louisiana Lafayette. Cammie earned a B.S. in General Studies and then completed the requirements for a teaching certificate.
After graduation in December 2001 from UL Lafayette, Cammie went to work for the State of Louisiana. She worked with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections as a probation and parole officer UNTIL 2006, WHEN SHE began her teaching career. She has been an Educator for 15 years.
Cammie became involved in prison reform in 2009. She realized that the education of children of Louisiana are suffering because the budget for education is constantly being cut. She also has met many people who have made mistakes in life and they are not the same people that made that mistake 20 years ago.
People change over time and if we don't change our laws, our future will continue to be dark and our children will continue to be unproductive or leave the state for education and jobs.
Lillie R. Sutton
vice president & co-founder
MS. SUTTON Graduated from Howard High in Atlanta, GA. SHE Attended DeKalb Community College in Atlanta.
SHE Worked and retired from General Motors after 35 years of service.
Ms. Sutton became actively involved in prison reform in 1991. As a God fearing Christian, Ms. Sutton believes mercy and forgiveness should be extended to all God’s people, even those who are in prison. Ms. Sutton acknowledges the pain and suffering of the countless victims of violent, senseless crimes, having been a victim herself. However, Ms. Sutton strongly believes that there is no future without forgiveness, which she says is evidenced by the selfless sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.
Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering, as though you are suffering as they are--- Hebrews 13:3
Amy H. Dozier
ADVOCATE
AMY WAS Born in Metairie, Louisiana and HAS BEEN A resident of St. Tammany Parish for the last 16 years. AMY Graduated from Grace King High school 1n 1986. SHE Attended the Institute of Legal Studies in Metairie, Louisiana from 1987-1989 and obtained a paralegal degree.
AMY Began work as a legal assistant in 1987 at the Orleans PARISH District Attorney’s Office under the reign of District Attorney Harry Connick. After receiving HER paralegal degree, Amy has worked for various law firms on the South shore and North shore of Lake Pontchartrain. She has worked in the fields of criminal defense, insurance defense, maritime, business, and family law.
Amy began her journey on penal reform in October of 2015 when she became aware that there were 36,377 inmates incarcerated in the State of Louisiana. of that number, there are 4,870 inmates serving life, 2,166 of those who are first time offenders. She firmly believes that having to serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole for a first time offender is cruel, inhumane, and unjust. This is simply illogical and unconstitutional.
A life sentence is far too harsh and offers no incentive to be or do better, yet many of these people have taken advantage of the opportunities afforded to them for educational, spiritual, and personal growth. along the way, many have become mentors to the youth, ministers to the lost, and extraordinary men and women. Incarceration is supposed to serve as a mechanism for personal repentance and rehabilitation, not to warehouse citizens for making a poor choice in life.
Debra Sheehan
Prison Reform Activist
DEBRA HAS BEEN A Resident of Denham Springs LA since 1985
Debra graduated from Denham Springs High School in 1983. After high school, Debra began working for her family business as general manager from 1983 -2001. In 2002 she began her career with the United States Postal Service.
Debra's journey into prison reform began in 1990 when her husband became a victim of a violent crime. DEBRA BECAME A Widow at the age of 25 with 3 small children, she became involved with a victims group to help cope with the tragedy. Being involved in this group showed her that there was no real reconciliation or forgiveness and she knew there had to be a better way. So in 1997 she became involved with Louisiana cure has been working tirelessly ever since to bring change to the problem of mass incarceration, reconciliation, victim awareness and forgiveness. Debra joined the h.o.p.e. foundation in 2016.
We as citizens of Louisiana need to understandthe old way of thinking; get tough on crime, 'lock them up and throw away the key" does not work. It never has...what our state needs is a total overhaul of the criminal justice policy.
Debra's goal and current projects include first offender parole and end mass incarceration in the great state of Louisiana.
Lance P. Provost ii
TREASURER
Lance P. Provost II was born, raised and continues to reside in New Iberia, Louisiana. Lance is a proud graduate of New Iberia Senior High school where he was an active member in several school organizations. In 2009 – 2010, Lance served as the Chapter President of the Iberia Parish Best Buddies Program and also served as the 2011 Class Representative of the Student Government Organization during all 4 years of high school. Lance was also an active member of the New Iberia Senior High Publications Committee where he served as the 2011 Senior Yearbook Editor.
After graduating high school, Lance began his career in Public Safety as a Communications Professional within a multi-jurisdictional communications center. As a Communications Professional, Lance received, processed and dispatched emergency calls for service for both law enforcement and fire service entities. Throughout his career Lance has served as a Communications Training Officer, Communications Director of Training, Assistant Communications Center Supervisor and also Deputy Sheriff assigned to a patrol division. Lance is a proud cadet graduate of the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Basic Police Academy 40th Session where he obtained a Louisiana POST Certification. Lance was also a recipient of the Top Academic Award for earning the highest grade point average throughout his entire academy class.
Lance became involved with the H.O.P.E. Foundation team after taking an interest into a legal case that was tried within the Louisiana Criminal Justice System and the severe issues and inconsistencies that surrounded it. It was after this increased interest that Lance began to research the Louisiana Criminal Justice System and discovered there is not only an alarming number of people who are currently incarcerated but there is a significant number of people who have been and still are convicted of crimes that they did not commit. Furthermore, Lance noticed that whether innocent or guilty, Louisiana has the most unforgiving sentencing practices in the United States.
As an advocate for those who have been wrongfully convicted, Lance maintains his faith in the Louisiana Criminal Justice System but believes that just like all great things; the system has its flaws. Flaws that do not have to continue and can be fixed through public and personal education, keeping an open mind, holding people accountable and fighting for what is right. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
MARIA SCOTT DUNNIGAN
SECRETARY
Maria was born in California and raised bi-coastally in both California and Florida.
Maria graduated from Homestead Senior High School and continued her education at Miami-Dade College in South Florida, general studies and marketing.
After college she began her 16-year career as an O.E.M. buyer (Overseas Electronic Manufacturing) and F.C.C. (Federal Communications Commission) compliance officer for Timco Engineering in Miami, Florida.
Maria was a volunteer for The Miss America Organization for 20 years and was The Executive Director of The Miss Homestead Scholarship Foundation and was an official Miss America Judge.
Currently, she is an actor working in Atlanta, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. She is also a licensed CNA, LPN and is a volunteer hospice sitting angel.
Maria became an advocate for prison reform when she watched “Serving Life” an Oprah Winfrey documentary about Hospice care and inmate hospice volunteers at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola in Louisiana. For the past 6 years she has worked towards prison reform awareness and second chances. Archaic laws plague the Louisiana judicial system making the state the Prison Capital of the world. Maria speaks for inmates who do not have a voice that can be heard.
Face the giants in your life, slay them and move on. Do not be daunted by the mistakes and failures in your life. T.D. Jakes