Raised by a mother of Jamaican descent, New Hampshire resident Ophelia Burnett recalls a sheltered upbringing marked by strict boundaries and limitations. At the age of 19, fueled by a desire for freedom, she made choices that would reshape her future. On a night out with a group of friends, she described as the “cool kids”, an incident resulted in her arrest.

Breaking Barriers Post-Release

After serving 4 years, Ophelia envisioned a career as a criminal lawyer post-release. She went on to study, pursuing an undergraduate degree in Law at the Nashua Community College. Once it was time to find a job, reality proved harsh. Rejections from law offices, despite promising interviews, exposed the prejudices tied to her prior conviction. 

Thanks to the support of her family, particularly her mother, Ophelia had been able to secure an apartment lease. With rent and bills to pay, she was forced to navigate alternative career paths so she could make ends meet, so she returned to work as a model.

The 2023 National Survey of People with Records, released by the Alliance for Safety and Justice, revealed that one in two people with old convictions experienced difficulties in finding a job, maintaining employment, or making a living. The same study reports that people with a felony conviction earn an average of $23,000 per year. Coupled with precarious housing opportunities and the rising cost of living, reintegration is especially difficult for people with a criminal record.

Lasting Damage to Mental Health

After four years of stability and making significant re-entry strides, Ophelia’s new life took a tragic turn when an electrical fire consumed her home and everything she owned. Left homeless, with limited experience and a prior conviction, finding a new place to live became an insurmountable challenge. This sudden adversity, as well as the lingering effects of incarceration, took a toll on Ophelia’s mental health. 

Ophelia’s frustration and lack of understanding led to internal turmoil, manifesting in strained relationships with loved ones and self-harm. Unfortunately, her experience is common;  specialists believe that incarceration worsens the symptoms of mental health and is linked to experiencing mood disorders post-release. Further research suggests that being incarcerated has lasting effects on mental health, as the trauma people experience while in prison can lead to Post-Incarceration Syndrome, which shares characteristics with PTSD.

All it Takes is Being Given A Chance

An unexpected opportunity emerged when Ophelia was invited to share her story at a public event near the New Hampshire State House. Despite being “petrified of public speaking”, she accepted. 

Ophelia’s testimony caught the attention of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), prompting a transformative job offer as a Healing Justice Organizer. Her experience in the correctional system is ultimately what made her the right fit for the role. 

Advocating for Change in the Systems that Failed Her

In her role with AFSC, Ophelia became a driving force in legislative advocacy and the initiation of a pilot re-entry program for women in New Hampshire. She also helps organize and mobilize formerly incarcerated people to take action to improve their communities and to create opportunities for them to thrive despite their records. Reflecting on her journey, Ophelia recognizes the challenges affecting formerly incarcerated individuals. 

For her work empowering women and girls, Ophelia recently received the “Today Award” from the New Hampshire chapter of YWCA. She closely supported a bill (HB 421) that requires all state and county facilities to provide adequate access to free menstrual hygiene products. Thanks to the collaboration with policy and lawmakers, organizations, and the Department of Corrections (DOC), this bill was passed last August, helping to protect incarcerated women.

Ophelia remains focused on her social justice mission: “I don’t do this work for me. I do this for the ones who are still behind bars and feel they are silenced and have no voice and marginalized individuals.”

Abolishing Modern-Day Slavery in Prisons

Presently, Ophelia leads the “No Exception Campaign,” seeking to amend the New Hampshire constitution to eradicate all forms of slavery through bill CARC 13. This is due to language in the US Constitution’s 13th Amendment that abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime. Bill CARC 13 seeks to amend the New Hampshire constitution by adding an article with anti-slavery language that states slavery and involuntary servitude shall be prohibited in the state of New Hampshire.

Simultaneously, efforts are underway to establish a re-entry program focused on healing, reducing recidivism, and providing more opportunities for those seeking a fresh start. Recognizing the importance of raising awareness and challenging misconceptions that perpetuate the cycle of incarceration, Ophelia is keen to continue advocating for the incarcerated and released populations.

As a final statement into her journey, Ophelia reflected on the transformative power of giving someone a chance for rehabilitation and personal growth. She became the success story she needed when she was first released from prison at 24 years old.

Click here to see the reentry resources available in New Hampshire.

About Ophelia Burnett

A New Hampshire resident for 30 years, Ophelia brings her life experiences and passion into her role as a Healing Justice Organizer. Ophelia sees this work as an opportunity to prepare herself for a career in law and community organizing. She has grown from being a singer and model into a fierce community leader and lives up to her name in healing justice. She has a deep desire to help people find their own path of joy and purpose, having decided to start her own reentry program for individuals starting over after incarceration, struggling to navigate community resources to be successful. So, during her free time, she loves reading and sustains a regular practice of meditation to keep herself grounded in peace and positivity.