Charlotte was a hardworking mom whose life got flipped upside down after serving one year in prison. Still working to rebuild herself since getting released nearly seven years ago, Charlotte is outspoken about the injustices women experience behind bars, and the obstacles individuals face even after they’ve served their time.

A military brat, Charlotte was raised by her strict Army veteran father who served in Desert Storm. Charlotte wasn’t allowed to wear makeup or girly clothes, so she acted out as a result. In high school, Charlotte, who is biracial, was picked on by her classmates for not being “Black enough.” She learned to be outspoken and stand up for herself. Charlotte became a mom at 18 and worked two jobs to support her children and purchase their first home. But in the blink of an eye, she lost everything she had worked so hard for—while she was working at a smoke shop, she was charged with drug trafficking and sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison. Charlotte had never been away from her three young children and had to quickly learn how to parent from behind bars. She was horrified by the lack of feminine hygiene in prison, the corrupt staff who favored certain individuals, and the limited reentry support. Charlotte also felt as though many of the women behind bars were wrongfully convicted, herself included.

Charlotte is ready to start a new chapter of her life. She is happily engaged and has two more children; she is also a proud grandma. Charlotte is still making up for lost time with her oldest kids, whose lives she missed out on when she was incarcerated. She is turning her passion into purpose; as a participant on 60 Days In, she hopes to expose mistreatment of incarcerated people, and end stigmas about convicted felons. Charlotte is excited to be starting a new job after years of incarceration-related discrimination; she hopes to one day write a book or be a talk show host.