Tracie Bernardi Guzman, BIO 225

Tracie Bernardi Guzman is a formerly incarcerated woman who entered prison as a teenager and served 23 years, including seven years in solitary confinement.

Pre-Release

Leadership Experience

– Peer Mentoring/Group Facilitation: Sister Standing Strong Program (2009-2015)

– Garden Supervisor: Niantic, CT (Certified by Wesleyan University (PSP) Agriculture 2009-2011)

– Graphic Layout Designer/Editor: The York Voice (1994-2001)

– Organizer-

      Donation Drive (2009-2015)

      Food Share

      Homeless for The Holidays

Since Tracie’s release in 2015, she has made significant contributions in various fields:

Post Release

 –Awards and Citations:

– Great 8 2023 CT Hall Of Change Inductee 2023

– Certificate of Special Recognition 2023: Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz

– Certificate of Special Recognition 2023: Senator Richard Blumenthal

– Official Citation/Certificate of Recognition 2023: State of Connecticut General Assembly

– The Ann Koletsky Award 2022

Certifications:

– Certified Recovery Specialist: Advocacy Unlimited

– Certified in Motivational Interviewing: Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Hartford, CT

– Certified SAMHSA’s GAINS -How Being Trauma-Informed Improves-Criminal Justice System Responses Trainer: SAMHSA’s GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation, conducting workshops on trauma-informed responses within Connecticut

– ORAS Certified (Ohio Risk Assessment System): University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute

– Overdose Prevention & Naloxone Education Training**: Waterbury Health Department

– Certified CPR

-Certified Literacy Volunteer of America

– Certificate in Developing Cultural Competency

-Certified in Preparing and Giving legislative testimony

-Certified in Americans with Disabilities Act

 Current Employment:

– Case Manager: Waterbury Reentry Welcome Center with Community Partners in Action

– Chair/CEO/CFO/Founder/Visionary: Reentry Solutions CT Inc. (her second nonprofit)

Advocacy and Legislative Achievements:

– ACLU of Connecticut Smart Justice Leader: Fighting to end mass incarceration for five years

Key Legislative Contributions:

  – HB 6921: Establishing a Council on the Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Record (2019)

  – SB 88: Increasing Fairness and Transparency in the Criminal Justice System (2019)

  – SB 972: Free prison phone calls (2021)

  – SB 753: Ending prison gerrymandering (2021)

  – SB 1019: Clean Slate – automatic record erasure (2021)

  – HB 5428: Addressing the Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions on Occupational Licensing (2022)

  – SB 459: Ending Solitary Confinement (2022)

  – SB 448: Correctional Facility Health Care (2022)

  – SB 334: CDL Training program for Incarcerated People (2022)

  – HB 6004: Police Accountability (2020)

  – Plus, Additional bills passed in 2023 and currently advocating….

 

 Previous Nonprofit Work

– Co-Founder/Co-Director: Once Incarcerated… Once INC…

-Former Warmline Operator and Rehab Coordinator-: CHR,

-Former Camp Councilor, Almost Home= Baldwin Rec-B.A.G. S Waterbury, CT

Paid Professional Public Speaker:

 Regular Panelist and Featured Speaker Numerous events and venues including Yale, Wesleyan, CCSU, ECSU, Capital Community College, Yale Law School, John J. Allison Jr Polaris Center, NCC, The Connecticut Women’s March, The Connecticut Convention Center, and many public libraries and churches Member: The Phoenix, working to change the culture of corrections

 Podcast Interviews:

-StoryCorps

– Amplified Voices

– Talking Chit

– The Klock Hour

– Falling UP

Published Author:

– “Too Cruel Not Unusual, the other Death Penalty” by Kenneth E. Hartman

  – “Suicide and Its Impact on the Criminal Justice System” published by Elizabeth Kelly w/ The American Bar Association

– Blogger: 23yearsaninmate.com

Paid Digital Creator:

– Facebook and Instagram

Artist:

Has Art Exhibited in The Brooklyn Museum, The American Visionary Art Museum, Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College, Hartford Public Library, Capital Community College, The Mark Twain House, and The Connecticut Cultural Center

Personal Life:

– Family and Community:

  – Loving wife, mother, and homeowner

  – Dedicated daughter, family member, and friend

  – Cat’s mom to six cats, rehomed over 40 cats and other pets, and caretaker of a stray colony

– Spiritual Life:

Self-proclaimed child of God, carrying out his assignment