Myeshia Hawkins-Taylor

Myeshia Hawkins-Taylor was granted clemency and released from Bedford Hills Correctional Facility on October 10, 2023 after serving seven and a half years of a 16 year prison sentence in New York State. Since then, she has been able to attend several functions surrounding the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) that have been informative in her transition back into society.

Born and raised in NJ, she is a mother of two and a grandmother of three. During her incarceration, Myeshia worked tirelessly to heal from past trauma, and developed a way to pinpoint past unhealthy relationships and how that has influenced her decisions and impacted her life. Through completing programs in prison like Family Violence and Aggression Replacement Training, and applying for resentencing under the DVSJA, Myeshia was able to explore and better understand how the abuse she endured contributed to the offense she committed.

Myeshia’s plan is to strengthen her advocacy skills so that she can give back to her community. By doing so, Myeshia will be able to share the knowledge she has gained from being a SJP Advisory Group member with other survivors.