Girls Embracing Mothers

In case you missed it, @pbsnewshour tagged along this year to our 4th Annual Summer Camp to capture the magic that happens in these woods for three days every summer ✨ Watch the full story: pbs.org/newshour/show/…

We love to see young girls stepping into their power to fight against and repair unjust and broken systems💎 teenvogue.com/story/kids-rig…

There are parties that benefit financially from keeping children and their parents separated – a travesty – so Maggie and others joined the #Right2Hug campaign in suing their county to restore family visits and prevent companies from making money off family separation.

This essay hits all the way home ❤️‍🩹 Written by 13-year-old Maggie for @teenvogue, she shares what it's been like to grow up with a parent behind bars who she can't touch or hug –– a trauma many of our own GEMs grow up experiencing. teenvogue.com/story/kids-rig…

We're grateful for such empowering experiences and proud to be part of events that highlight the strength of women supporting women. Thank you @DallasWings for this unforgettable evening! 💜

We were thrilled to attend a @DallasWings basketball game last month for Inspiring Women Night as a community partner! It was a fantastic outing for our GEMs, who enjoyed not only the excitement of the game but also the opp to hear from a variety of inspiring women leaders.

Catch GEM founder @MsBKB on @NBCDFW talking all things GEM 💎 "Our mission is to empower young girls with mothers in prison to break the cycle of incarceration, dream their biggest dreams, and step into who they're meant to be." 🌸💜 nbcdfw.com/texas-today/em…

Through our partnership with Unlock Potential, we support our GEMs by providing economic mobility & creating pathways to meaningful careers. This holistic approach ensures that when we talk about freedom, we mean the ability to thrive, not just survive. 💎🔑💜

We recognize that true liberation extends beyond the prison gates. That’s why our initiatives include economic empowerment. Through our partnership with @CompTIA, we provided tech training for GEM moms.

When someone comes home from prison, their experience doesn't just get filed into the past with no impact on their future. Folks often face ongoing trauma, along w technological, educational & career disadvantages, deepening financial burdens they may have had pre-incarceration.

Our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers and donors who make these special days possible, enriching the lives of our GEM families 💎💟

These moments of connection are filled with laughter, tears, & heartfelt convos, creating memories that last a lifetime. The Pearl visits embody the essence of GEM's mission: to reinforce the unbreakable bond of love between mothers & daughters, even in the face of adversity.

Our Pearl visits are truly the heart of GEM, where the profound connection between mothers and daughters is nurtured and celebrated. Our monthly trips to Gatesville are more than just a visit––they are transformative experiences that dive deep into our healing justice curriculum.

This award is a testament to the hard work and profound difference our healing justice programming and volunteers make in the lives of women and girls each day. To everyone who supports GEM, thank you so much. Together, we are creating lasting change! 💖

A heartfelt thank you to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice @TDCJ for recognizing the dedication and impact of GEM's programming and our volunteers. Our Pearl Program within TDCJ women's prisons has been a beacon of hope, strengthening mother-daughter bonds since 2013.

We are happy to announce that Girls Embracing Mothers (GEM) has been honored with the Best Family Program Award at the 29th Annual Governor’s Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Awards in Austin, Texas! 🌟

This is such a great profile of Brittany Barnett @MsBKB, who we honored at this year’s #SecondChance #FreedomBall in Washington, D.C.! Read @KERAnews: keranews.org/news/2024-05-1… #BrittanyBarnett #SharandaJones #DallasTX @buriedaliveproj @gem_amplifyher

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And so while we hold all impacted by incarceration in our hearts every day –– we're holding on a little tighter this #MothersDay weekend. Wishing a warm and connected Mother's Day to everyone who knows what that separation feels like. We see you, we love you 💜🫂

150,000. That's how many mothers in America will be separated from their children by the harsh reality of incarceration on this #MothersDay. For all of these GEMs, tomorrow the weight of this separation will feel even heavier.