When we first met Tanaine Jenkins in 2012, she had just joined Operation New Hope’s Ready4Work program in Jacksonville. Seeking a fresh start after incarceration, her case manager quickly connected her to an interview at a logistics company, where she was hired right away. That opportunity was just the beginning of a journey that has taken her from Ready4Work graduate to statewide leader, public speaker, entrepreneur, and national advocate for criminal justice reform.
Finding Her Voice
In her original Voices of Hope story in 2022, Tanaine shared that she was pursuing her public speaking certificate. Just one month later, she proudly walked across the stage in Atlanta to receive her certification from Eric Thomas and Associates. That same year, she stepped onto the TEDx stage in Jacksonville to share her powerful story with the world.
“I’ve been on countless panels and conferences since then,” she recalls. “They really haven’t been able to shut me up since!”
Building Confidence Through Opportunity
Tanaine credits Ready4Work with giving her the confidence to know she was capable of success.
“Operation New Hope showed me that nothing was wrong with me—I was still ready to work,” she reflects. “I practiced the ABCs: Any Job. Better Job. Career.”
Starting with “any job,” then moving to a “better job,” and eventually building her career, she exemplifies how one opportunity can unlock a lifetime of growth. Today, she makes it her mission to show others what’s possible by reminding them that ‘people cannot be what they cannot see’ and inspiring them through perseverance and purpose.
Entrepreneurship with Purpose
Driven by her own journey, Tanaine launched Everything I Am, a brand centered on authenticity and self-acceptance. “I started Everything I Am because I didn’t feel like I was enough. And I knew if I felt that way, others did too. I wanted to help people like me,” she explains. Her philosophy is simple: “It doesn’t matter if you’re flawed—you’re still everything you are. Be yourself. You can’t be anybody else because everyone else is taken.”
Her entrepreneurial spirit soon led her to create a hair apparel line celebrating locs, born out of a personal need. “One Christmas, I couldn’t find a T-shirt that celebrated my hair, so I decided to create my own. If there’s not one, build one. Everyone deserves to be represented.”
Like many entrepreneurs, she encountered barriers—including funding struggles during the pandemic. But rather than give up, she pivoted to digital platforms and grew her ventures into self-sustaining businesses.
Leading Change with REFORM Alliance
Today, Tanaine serves as the Florida State Organizer for REFORM Alliance, a national nonprofit working to transform probation and parole systems across the country. In just six years, REFORM has helped pass 22 laws in 11 states, including Florida’s SB 752 “incentives bill,” which reduces probation time for people working consistently or pursuing education.
In her role, Tanaine travels the state meeting with legislators, faith leaders, law enforcement, and community members to educate them about the realities of probation and build support for reform. “People can’t care about something they know nothing about,” she explains. “My job is to plant seeds and build power.”
Her proudest moments are seeing policy changes that reduce technical violations and shorten probation terms—victories that directly impact thousands of people who, like her, deserve a second chance.
Looking Ahead
Over the next five years, Tanaine hopes to see barriers to employment removed, more people accessing fair wages, and initiatives like Clean Slate advanced to clear records for those who have demonstrated years of successful reentry. She believes these changes are essential for building stronger families, safer neighborhoods, and greater opportunity.
From Ready4Work graduate to state leader, Tanaine’s journey shows that with opportunity, support, and determination, returning citizens not only persevere but also thrive, making an impact across our cities, our state, and our nation.
Tanaine encourages community members and businesses to learn more about probation reform and support the mission of REFORM Alliance. She invites people to visit reformalliance.com to explore current campaigns, including the Safer Supervision Act, a federal bill with the potential to create lasting change across the nation.
