At one time, Stephanie Jeffcoat didn't think her vote mattered.

Instead, she thought.

Why am I going to show up and take time out of my day to go and place a vote?

From the age of 13, I struggled with addiction.

I spent ten years in and out the carceral system.

I faced so many barriers after my release while I was incarcerated, which was only six months, my daughter was adopted.

So that lit that fire in me to create change.

Hello, I'm Bonnie Boswell.

In Europe, over half the countries allow people who are in prison to vote.

But in the United States, only one out of six black Americans who've been incarcerated are allowed to vote.

And in 34 states, Hispanics who've been impacted by the justice system are disenfranchized more than the general population.

Stephanie now works at a New Way of Life Reentry Program at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Compton.

Going to a lot of reentry facilities, making sure that people are aware.

So is there a focus on perhaps reaching out to family members of people who are incarcerated?

Were able to be outside of the and to give information to the families.

A young lady who she was 41 and she had never been registered to vote.

Her facial expression when she dropped her ballot in the box like it just lit something in her.

Like she was finally a part of something.

And the laws that I've helped get passed.

They won't fix my situation, but what they will do is ensure that other parents and other people don't have to go through what I went through.

My family is very proud.

You know, a few years ago, I was still homeless on the streets, addicted to drugs, in and out of jail.

And so to see me now in this work and just making a difference in not only my community, but nationally, they are very happy with the work that I'm doing.

For KCET, I'm Bonnie Boswell.