About me
Candace Williams is a community advocate, reentry leader, and trauma-informed organizer dedicated to supporting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and the families impacted by incarceration. Her work is grounded in lived experience, generational awareness, and a deep commitment to healing, accountability, and breaking cycles of trauma.
In 2008, at the age of 22, Candace was incarcerated while pregnant and already a mother of two. During her incarceration, she gave birth to her son and experienced firsthand the trauma of forced separation and the systemic erasure of motherhood behind bars. A statement made at sentencing—predicting the incarceration of her children—became the turning point that fueled her determination to change the narrative for her family and others like hers.
While incarcerated, Candace helped create the Mending Hearts Parenting Support Group, a trauma-informed space that supported more than 200 incarcerated mothers through parenting education, accountability, and healing-centered dialogue. The program empowered women to remain engaged in their children’s lives and helped some regain visitation and begin custody processes.
After completing Peer Recovery Specialist training and returning home on December 26, 2023, Candace continued her advocacy without pause. She is the founder of Legendary AveNew LLC and the visionary leader of Mending Hearts, organizations focused on trauma-informed reentry, peer support, family reunification, and community healing.
As a mother and advocate, Candace amplifies the voices of women left behind, challenges systems to recognize the hidden victims of incarceration, and works to ensure that reentry is not just about returning home—but about healing, restoration, and generational change.
