When I reflect on my own journey—navigating the trauma of incarceration, rebuilding life as a mother, and confronting the invisible walls that a criminal record can create—I know firsthand that survival alone is not enough. People deserve more than second chances—they deserve real pathways to Redemption, Empowerment, and Opportunity.

I founded The R.E.O. Foundation not just as a response to my past, but as a promise to others like me: those who’ve been criminalized, dehumanized, and overlooked, yet still dare to rise. This work is deeply personal. Every program we offer—whether it’s housing, reentry planning, or employment support—has been shaped by lived experience and a relentless belief that a record should not be a life sentence to poverty or invisibility.

We are here to disrupt generational cycles, to give families a fresh start, and to remind the world that healing and ownership are not privileges—they are rights we all deserve access to.

Thank you for believing in this mission. Together, we are not just re-entering society—we are rebuilding it.

In Purpose,
Dianna Shade-Herron Founder & President,
The R.E.O. Foundation, Inc.