Honorable Mention
Ex-offender provides 'voice for women' on prison issues

Serena Camara is the newest member and first ex-offender to be appointed to the Corrections Population Management Commission. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

Chianti "Serena" Camara Age: 30 Hometown: Waimanalo; now lives in Kailua Family: Daughters - Ciara Kahalewai, 13; Charise Kahalewai, 12; and Kalena Camara, 4 Position: Community member of the Corrections Population Management Commission Accomplishment: Camara is the first ex-offender appointed to the commission. Quote: "I can now help those who follow in my footsteps by providing the example that all things are possible."

Chianti Camara, 30, has become a devoted advocate for offenders in the prison system and ex-offenders trying to reintegrate into the community.

As the newest member of the Corrections Population Management Commission, Camara, also known as Serena, provides the voice of prison experience as the first ex-offender to ever be appointed to the commission.

After her appointment on Nov. 16, 2000, Camara joined high-ranking state leaders, including Attorney General Earl Anzai and Honolulu Prosecutor Peter Carlisle, who make up the commission in advising the Legislature on issues surrounding prison populations and ways to address population management.

"I’m able to provide some insight and understanding to issues that would otherwise be half-informed," said Camara, who is also presently the only female commission member.

The Kailua resident said that her primary focus has always been on women offenders.

"Having been incarcerated and now being in a position to make positive changes (in the system), I’m the voice for the women," Camara said.

A hard life

Camara has come a long way from the life she lived a decade ago.

In 1989, she was a victim of domestic violence and a welfare mother of two young daughters. Camara said that at the time she had no life skills, an incomplete education, inadequate knowledge of parenting and no prior work experience.

To numb herself from her "overwhelming dilemmas," she began to use cocaine and became addicted. In 1991, Camara said she left her family to "self-destruct on a horrible, drug-induced escape from reality."

"I don’t remember having a single waking moment in that year’s time of being sober," Camara said. "I was constantly and completely under the influence of crack cocaine."

Camara added that during that year, she was arrested so many times that she lost count. In September of 1992, she was incarcerated at the Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC), for eight nonviolent drug and drug-related convictions.

Camara said she had a hard time adjusting to prison life.

"I got into a lot of trouble á because I had a hard time conforming to the rules," Camara said. "I was what they probably called a managerial problem."

"I must admit, she (was) difficult," recalled John Kellam, warden at WCCC. "She had her days."

Camara spent three years in prison, and prior to being released in July 1995, she completed the Ho‘omana Therapeutic Community treatment program at WCCC. Camara said that the program "worked (for her) because it was gender-responsive," covering topics such as parenting, money-managing and other essential life skills.

Reaching out for help

In July 1995, Camara was released for work furlough to TJ Mahoney & Associates’ Matlock Hale, a transitional program that helps women coming out of prison to successfully reintegrate into the community. After seven months, Camara was released on parole.

But within a month, she relapsed, hocking all of her jewelry and spending all the money she had saved to purchase and use cocaine.

"I stayed in relapse for four days, in which time I had ruined almost everything I worked hard for," Camara said.

But Camara said that she reached out for help and turned to Lorraine Robinson, director of TJ Mahoney & Associates’ Matlock Hale.

"Serena had already done a lot of work on herself," Robinson said. "I knew that underneath the relapse was a person who didn’t want to be using anymore."

"She told me to take responsibility and be accountable for my actions by going to see my parole officer and accept whatever the results would be," Camara said.

Camara told her parole officer what happened and said that although he was disappointed, like Robinson, he had faith in her.

"He could have sent me to prison that day," she said.

Instead, he challenged her to do something difficult and unfamiliar, and they put a plan of action into place that would help her in her recovery.

"As part of this plan, I would get educated and be gainfully employed," Camara said.

‘Success story’

Camara stuck to her plan, accomplishing more than she set out to do.

Within two years, Camara earned her GED; got her first full-time job, as a cashier; attended Honolulu Community College; and interned at various organizations including Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center, Child Protective Services’ Sexual Abuse Unit and the Institute for Human Services.

In May of 1998, Camara graduated from HCC with honors and received an associate’s in science degree in human services. Three months later in August, Camara was released from parole.

"That was an enormous accomplishment for me," Camara said. "I was not scheduled to be released from parole until 2005."

Since then, Camara has used her educational background and prison experience to help others and has become involved with various community organizations and agencies and participated in several legislative sessions as an advocate for offenders and ex-offenders. Camara also volunteers at WCCC, providing education and awareness classes to the women incarcerated there.

Last February, Camara joined the Department of Public Safety’s Community Advisory Board, and in November she participated in a symposium on Kaua‘i that focused on educating criminal justice agencies on issues related to women offenders and their families.

"(It) was so exciting and fulfilling for me to be able to use my experience to educate people about drug use and incarceration," she said.

Camara’s appointment to the Corrections Population Management Commission in November capped off her string of achievements thus far.

"I would view Serena, at this point, as a success story," Kellam said.

"I have arrived at a place in my journey where all my experiences, both professional and personal, have culminated into a big picture that gives me understanding and purpose for my past," Camara said.

"I can now help those who follow in my footsteps by providing the example that all things are possible."

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