Help Free Tanya Smith
Join the Incarcerated Womxn’s Clemency & Support Project (IWCSP) in urging Gov. Youngkin to grant clemency for Tanya Smith!
About Tanya: Tanya Smith is a 50-year-old Black woman, survivor of abuse, loving mother, sister, daughter, and friend. For the last two decades, Tanya has lived with coinciding chronic health concerns, including diabetes, stage II colon, and stage IV liver cancer. Despite the pain and excruciating side effects she experiences from weekly chemotherapy, Tanya continues to work every day and focuses on giving back to her community upon release.
Tanya is originally from Lancaster, VA, and she is currently incarcerated at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women (FCCW) in Troy, VA. Tanya has been incarcerated for 17 years out of a 26-year sentence–over one third of her life has been spent in prison.
During her time inside FCCW, Tanya has invested in her own healing and transformation. Over 17 years, she has demonstrated her readiness for release and her commitment to making amends for the harm done and the underlying trauma which led to her incarceration. She is a talented writer and has taken initiative to complete numerous courses in preparation for reentry including Breaking Barriers, Celebrate Recovery, Electrical, Servsafe, and Foundations One and Two Kitchen courses.
Since 2008, Tanya has worked in document conversion where she became the lead over a team of five, and in the tailor shop as a housekeeper and seamstress where she proceeded to move up as a lead person over quality control and shipping. She has been sober since 2007 and attends both NA and AA classes regularly. Tanya’s faith grounds her, and she actively goes to church whenever she can.
As an elder and two-time cancer survivor recovering from her third diagnosis, Tanya is currently applying for commutation of her sentence to Governor Youngkin. Tanya’s past petitions for clemency have had the consistent support of several prison medical staff, her medical doctor, healthcare workers, family, friends, and community members. Given the recent return of her cancer, Tanya wants to be released so she can receive the holistic support she needs while contributing to her community and helping care for her family. Tanya wants to become a qualified AA and NA group leader. She also wants to open a food truck, called Blessing, and provide free, Southern home cooked meals to elders who cannot cook for themselves.
In Tanya’s own words: “I would like for the people to know that 17 years ago I was a different person with a different outlook on life. I can say that I have changed, and I have a purpose to live and give back to the community and to help others who have no way out.”
Please join us in urging the Governor’s office to commute incarcerated survivor Tanya Smith’s sentence and release her to her family and community waiting to support her.
Sign this petition to add signatures of support to Tanya’s clemency petition!