Kelly Gissendaner spent 17 years on death row before being executed by the state of Georgia in 2015. She spent those years transforming her life through education, faith, and community. A close friend she made in prison shares the story of her life and death.
Carla J. Simmons
Carla J. Simmons has been incarcerated in the state of Georgia since 2004. She holds an associate degree in Positive Human Development and Social Change from Life University and is a member of the Justice Arts Coalition. She has contributed to Scalawag as an author and artist, as well as Rattling the Bars on the Real News Network and the 2024 edition of the Other Almanac. She takes seriously the work of social justice and has become passionate about trauma in the carceral system. Exploring this topic has helped her raise awareness as well as process her own horrific experience. She is a survivor of state and domestic violence, a member of a very small, very supportive family, and someone who believes in the huge significance of now, while hoping for better, for us all.
