Syrita Steib-Martin, Executive Director of Operation Restoration, has an unrelenting passion to help women successfully re-enter into society after incarceration. At the age of 19, Syrita was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. After serving 110 months, Syrita earned her B.S. from LSUHSC in New Orleans and became a nationally certified and licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist. Syrita then went on to successfully help draft and pass Louisiana Act 276, which prohibits public post-secondary institutions in Louisiana from asking questions related to criminal history for purposes of admissions, making Louisiana the first to pass this type of legislation. Since 2017, Syrita has helped draft and pass legislation in 5 states, including Louisiana. As a policy consultant for Cut50’s Dignity for Incarcerated Women campaign, she has worked tirelessly on the passage of the First Step Act. Syrita regularly speaks at conferences across the nation about the experiences of incarcerated women.

This Fridays at Newcomb is presented in partnership with the Tulane Reading Project.