Finding support in a new home

Quiana Lovett and Shavonne Davis are the first two residents of Healing Homes Farm, a new community for women coming out of prison in Michigan. The project is a collaboration between the AFSC Michigan Criminal Justice Program and Second Chance Battalion. During an interview at a recent Open House at the farm, Quiana shared about her journey, her first three weeks of freedom, and her vision for the farm.

What would you like to tell us about yourself?

That’s a crazy question. When people ask you that, what do you say? Do I say, “I did 16 years in prison, and I’ve been home for three weeks”?

Or do I start off with I am a mother of three living children and four grandchildren? And I guess all of those parts make me the person I am. I’m a college graduate, as well, with my associates degree in business from Jackson College and my bachelor's in general studies from Eastern Michigan (EMU). 

I am fun-loving and open minded -- and really the life of the party.

What has it been like coming to Healing Homes Farm?

My first week was busy, busy, busy. I had family come in from out of town, and I met my grandkids for the first time. I went to my deceased son’s grave for the first time. I had a lot of “first times.”

I hung out with my family. My best friend came into town. There’s been so much going on. I had a party on my first day with friends at EMU.

I did my first Survivors Justice Act (SJA) conference. There have been so many firsts that I feel like things are starting to take a toll on me a little bit.

The transition from prison to here has been great, though I still find myself feeling “not here,” so to speak. But this is definitely a great opportunity to come out of prison and have your own place. It’s been good.

What’s your vision for Healing Homes Farm?

I feel like this is definitely a great opportunity for women coming out of prison who’ve done a long time, to someplace that’s new and fresh. Support is the biggest thing people need, whether you’re a man or woman, after you’ve done 10 years or more in prison. The biggest thing is support, support, support.

Whether that’s support from families, from organizations – to be able to connect with people who have been on the inside with you. Because nobody understands what you’ve gone through or experienced, unless you’ve been there.

Moving forward, I see tiny houses on this property – that’s one of the main goals for Healing Homes Farm. So when women come out, they may not want to come to the main house, but may want to go to a tiny home. 

I definitely think that’s something that will come to pass. Because this started out as a vision, a conversation -- speaking these things into existence and manifesting those things you want in your life and that you want for other people.

And now, here we are. Here we sit. I truly believe that what you put out is what you receive.

What are your personal goals? Say in five or ten years?

I don’t think out that far anymore. I thought that far out for 16 years. I thought, “I can’t wait until I’m at my half-way mark. I can’t wait until I’m in single digits. I can’t wait until I’m able to say I’m a year from going home, or 90 days….”

So now I take it a day at a time. I lived in the future so long that now I just want to be present, I want to live in this moment.

And of course I’ll always have my own goals, dreams and aspirations – things I know I want to do. And I know those things will happen because I’m going to make sure they happen.

This is one of those questions people ask you when you’re free. “Where do you see yourself in six months?” I don’t know where I see myself tomorrow. 

The main things: I want to finance a car, I want to own a home, I want to take a trip. Successfully complete parole, be successful at my job. Continue to work in my entrepreneurial field and advocate for survivors of domestic violence and college-in-prison programs – all of those things at the professional level.

At the individual level, just for myself, I want to maintain my sobriety. I want to maintain and strengthen my relationships with my children and grandchildren. I want to get married one day.

I still want those little things. I want to be able to just walk outside every single day. And I thank God I’m able to do that.