Fate Winslow's Daughter & Grandson Need Housing

Faith's dad, Fate Winslow, had one of the most unjust convictions in U.S. history. When Faith was 10, he was given a life sentence for a $20 bag of weed.

In 2008, Fate was homeless. An undercover cop approached him and asked for “a girl.” Fate declined to find him a sex worker. The cop asked him for pot. Fate rode off on his bike and found a white dealer he knew. The dealer gave him the weed — $20 dollars’ worth — and he returned to the officer, who gave him $5 for his role in the deal.

Even though the officers later found their marked $20 bill on the white dealer, they arrested Fate, who is Black, not the dealer. Because he had priors — all nonviolent and years apart — he was sentenced to life without parole. At Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola, a former slave plantation, Fate made 80 cents a week cleaning the dorms while pot entrepreneurs made millions.

Faith wouldn’t get to see him as a free man until she was 22, when a change in Louisiana laws led to his release. Four months after he came home, Faith got a phone call from her aunt. Fate had been killed during a robbery while sitting in his car. He’d recently found a full time job, bought a house, fell in love and got a new puppy.

She described the challenge of losing her father for the second time. "I just got him back. It hasn’t even been five months. You all just took my dad for a second time, but this time, he can’t come back,” she said. “I’m never going to hear his voice again or see his big smile.”

Just a few months later, Faith found out she was pregnant with a baby boy. Lennox is now almost a year old. She's an amazing mom! But she lost her job a few months ago, then lost her apartment after she couldn't pay rent. She’s been looking for a new job and housing, and found a 2bd 1 bath apartment for $500/month, plus a $400 deposit to move in. It'll be much easier for her to find a job once she has secure housing again. She’s been through so much already, I would love to help her get back on her feet.