"After her partner was sentenced to 22 years in jail at age 17, Harris experienced life as a young Black mother fighting to keep her family intact while navigating the justice system. "The first five years were the most difficult for him because he felt his life was over," she said. "Twenty-two years ... when you are a teenager sounds like a lifetime.""
"Spending weekends visiting her partner in prison, Harris became a fierce advocate. She said she wrote letters and made phone calls, which affected how her partner was treated. She formed a community with other women visiting their loved ones and advocated on their behalf. Her success buoyed her to found the Borderland Project, a mental health and support system which advocates for women and families affected by incarceration."
Black communities in Santa Clara County and California face disproportionately high arrest and imprisonment rates compared with white populations. In Santa Clara County, Black residents (2.9% of population) were arrested 5.3 times more than white residents in 2021. Statewide, Black men and women comprised 28% and 23% of prisoners in 2023 while representing 6% of adults. Keeonna Harris experienced her partner’s 22-year sentence beginning at age 17 and spent weekends visiting him, becoming an advocate, forming a support community, and founding the Borderland Project to provide mental health and family support for people affected by incarceration. Harris advocates ending the current penal system.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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