Tanaine is from Jacksonville. Today she is a public speaker and up-and-coming entrepreneur. Her business intelligence and communication skills have opened many doors, including an invitation to be a TEDx speaker, a prestigious honor.

But her life wasn’t always a series of successes.

Tanaine’s professional career began in the banking industry. Unfortunately, after making a mistake that resulted in a felony conviction, she found she could no longer work in the field. Because of her felony status, access to occupational licensing became difficult, the pool of available job options decreased, and those remaining didn’t provide a living wage.

But her life wasn’t always a series of successes.

Tanaine’s professional career began in the banking industry. Unfortunately, after making a mistake that resulted in a felony conviction, she found she could no longer work in the field. Because of her felony status, access to occupational licensing became difficult, the pool of available job options decreased, and those remaining didn’t provide a living wage.

Like Tanaine, millions of returning citizens (formerly convicted persons) nationwide face barriers to meaningful employment and economic stability. That’s why FRRC is fighting at the state level to remove barriers to occupational licenses for returning citizens, which is a requirement for nearly 30 percent of jobs in Florida.

With few career options, many returning citizens turn to entrepreneurship. That’s the decision Tanaine made – she started a clothing line. To her surprise, that choice would lead to one of her most significant accomplishments. “So I started Everything I Am, a confidence-boosting clothing line with sayings like ‘I am enough,’ and ‘I am more than enough.’” She says that once people understood the message behind the clothing line, sales started to soar.

Like Tanaine, millions of returning citizens (formerly convicted persons) nationwide face barriers to meaningful employment and economic stability. That’s why FRRC is fighting at the state to remove barriers to occupational licenses for returning citizens, which is a requirement for nearly 30 percent of jobs in Florida.

With few career options, many returning citizens turn to entrepreneurship. That’s the decision Tanaine made – she started a clothing line. To her surprise, that choice would lead to one of her most significant accomplishments. “So I started Everything I Am, a confidence-boosting clothing line with sayings like ‘I am enough,’ and ‘I am more than enough.’” She says that once people understood the message behind the clothing line, sales started to soar.

The reentry challenges Tanaine faced inspired her clothing line, ultimately bringing a sense of purpose and financial opportunity. However, she knows many returning citizens still need a second chance at the American dream. That is why she has joined FRRC in advocating for job licensing reform and government-supported second-chance hiring initiatives. “I didn’t lose my skill set. I didn’t lose what I knew before I went to prison. I just gained the felony, and individuals need to know that just because someone makes a mistake doesn’t mean they can’t do the job,” says Tanaine.

The reentry challenges Tanaine faced inspired her clothing line, ultimately bringing a sense of purpose and financial opportunity. However, she knows many returning citizens still need a second chance at the American dream. That is why she has joined FRRC in advocating for job licensing reform and government-supported second-chance hiring initiatives. “I didn’t lose my skill set. I didn’t lose what I knew before I went to prison. I just gained the felony, and individuals need to know that just because someone makes a mistake doesn’t mean they can’t do the job,” says Tanaine.