NEW ORLEANS — From incarceration to certification. About a dozen women who were recently released from prison, celebrated a huge milestone Friday.
"Sometimes it can get trying I was just recently released so working and taking the program but it was amazing it was all worth it," said Shenica Jackson.
Jackson was one of the women who graduated Friday from Operation Restoration's eight-week lab assistant certification program. She was incarcerated for nearly 13 years. She said her new distinction could change her life.
"It opens many doors for other people all the employees to give people like me an opportunity a chance. I have opportunities to work in hospitals even crime labs I encourage people to not give up," she said.
The hope for a better life is exactly why Syrita Steib founded Operation Restoration. She knew the struggle firsthand, as she was incarcerated for 10 years.
"It was extremely hard I feel like the reason my reentry was as successful as it was was due to other women who I had met while I was incarcerated," Steib said. "I think when you give people an opportunity to change their life and support them to do so then they will."
Operation Restoration has 15 different programs. This is now the seventh graduated cohort from the lab assistant program.
Darlisha was part of the sixth.
"I have a career now and having a career you feel like I'm somebody now versus before working regular jobs, I can say I'm helping others," she said,
With a new opportunity and others to lean on, Jackson and her fellow graduates are ready to take the next step.
"Sometimes we do make mistakes but our mistakes doesn't define our future."
Operation Restoration has programs for both women in prison and for women who have been released. Their graduates have gone on to work at LCMC facilities, Ochsner, and private labs.
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