Educational Goals
By Shara Cooper
“Princess you should go to law school!” Words spoken by my pops throughout my teenage years. Regrettably, I didn’t find truth in his words until I was three years into a life sentence in the Florida DOC. Now 20 years later, I am consumed with passion to become an expert in the law.
When obtaining a higher education became a reality for those incarcerated in 2020, new hope filled many of us hungry for growth. Sadly, over three years later, Florida falls behind in helping this population obtain a degree. With over 80,000 people placed in prison, Florida has less than 0.5% enrolled in college. Even more disheartening, they have no alliances with any organization offering higher education in the legal sphere.
Yet, I refuse to sit around and wait on the state of Florida to expand their educational goals for those locked up. I’m believing and pursuing the possibility that I can become a part of a mission actively changing the face of restorative justice.
For seventeen years of my incarceration, I strived to grow me when no one pushed me to be a better version of me. Although I was condemned to die with my dreams in this place, I diligently served as a law clerk helping hundreds of inmates, achieved a paralegal certification from Blackstone, and drafted (among many winners) the motion that reversed my life sentence.
With certitude I know that my life’s purpose resides in advocating for others. My second is coming in two to six years and I am determined to be prepared to serve society with compassion and expertise. I am motivated to earn a degree before I am released. I’m ready for someone to tell my pops that his princess is in law school!
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