From Silenced to Seated Help Leonora "Light" Walker

From Silence to Seated: Help Leonora "Light" Walker Take Her Seat at the Policy Table

My name is Leonora "Light" Walker—a formerly incarcerated woman, proud mother and grandmother, and founder of FREED Texas, a nonprofit committed to healing, justice, and transformation for individuals and families impacted by incarceration.

After nearly a decade of grassroots leadership and advocacy, I’ve been selected for a life-changing opportunity: the 6th Cohort of the LBJ Women’s Campaign School at the University of Texas! This bipartisan leadership program prepares women across the country to run for office, manage campaigns, and shape the policies that impact our lives.

This next chapter is not just about my voice—it’s about all of us who have been silenced, overlooked, or excluded from the rooms where decisions are made.

Now, I’m ready to go from silence to seated—and I need your help to get there.

Thanks to incredible support, $3,200 has already been covered through grants and donations. I’m now raising the final $2,904 to cover my upfront tuition and program-related travel expenses for the three-day kickoff in Austin, TX this May.

Breakdown of Remaining Costs:

Tuition Reimbursement Fee (must be paid upfront): $1,800

Hotel (3 nights): $612

Hotel Parking: $63

Meals: $105

Mileage (San Antonio to Austin): $127

Incidentals & Supplies: $197

Total Remaining Need: $2,904

This campaign supports more than a trip—it’s an investment in lived experience leading policy change. As someone who has risen from incarceration, housing insecurity, and generational trauma, I now advocate for those like me: people impacted by the justice system, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities.

Your donation helps me take my seat at the policy table and fight for compassionate, inclusive leadership in Texas and beyond.

Thank you for believing in my journey. Whether you donate, share, or send prayers, your support brings us all closer to a future where leadership reflects all of us—fully F-R-E-E-D and fully seen.

With love and deep gratitude,

Light Walker

Founder & CEO, FREED Texas

#FromSilenceToSeated #WomenWhoLead #LBJWCS #FREEDTexas #JusticeReform #DisabilityJustice #LeadershipWithLivedExperience #NLCsanantonio #HealthyCommunitiesFellow