HAMPTON, Va. — Editor's Note: This story is part of 13News Now's Making A Mark series.
A conference coming to Hampton aims to provide a path to restoration for women after imprisonment.
The first Well Woman Experience: ForgiveHer Conference is hosted by Plan-U, Inc. The nonprofit offers mental health, education, housing, and financial resources to women working to heal from their past.
"We walk them through every phase of their reentry," said Plan-U, Inc. Founder Runita Hill. "New plan, new you. If you don't plan to be successful, you probably won't."
The group also works to spark transformative lifestyle changes in women working to rebuild their lives.
"These women are already traumatized," Hill said. "Upon reentering into society, they have to face the stigma, the embarrassment, the judgment... And usually, they jump right back into what they're familiar with, which lands them back into incarceration."
Plan-U, Inc. created the new conference to provide a safe space for women to define their goals for successful reintegration. Hill said the first step to healing for formerly imprisoned women is to break the cycle of recidivism by uncovering the root of their trauma.
"What led you to make the choices that you made?", Hill said. "Psychologically, a lot of them are experiencing incarceration, even though they're free."
The two-day event aims to show women how to forgive themselves and surround them with an empowering community that will help them thrive.
"We wanted them to feel loved and supported," Hill said. We wanted them to look around the room and see that all of these people are here just for you... They believe in you, even sometimes, when you don't believe in yourself."
Event workshops will include employment preparation, skill-building tools, counseling, and access to social services. Hill said session topics were chosen based on feedback from the attendees themselves.
"We wanted to give them what they wanted," Hill said. "It's no need of us just setting up... and it's not what's beneficial for the demographic that we're trying to serve.
Hill hopes women who attend the conference learn how to own their story and successfully write the next chapter.
"We're not making excuses for bad behavior," Hill said. "These women have paid their debt to society... Give them a fresh start at a second chance."
The Well Woman Experience: ForgiveHer Conference is March 22nd-23rd at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. Proceeds from the event will support Plan-U, Inc.'s projects and programs. Click here to purchase tickets.