Andres Pacificar, C.A.R.E. Coordinator
Pronouns: He / Him
Andres Pacificar is a recipient of The Forward Promise Fellowship for Leaders, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Prior to joining the Freedom Project team, Andres did community work throughout the Puget Sound area, and with Alive & Free, an Accelerator YMCA program that builds meaningful relationships with youth involved in gangs, violence and the juvenile justice system. Andres brings a growth mindset to his work with youth and their families each day. He demonstrates this by approaching each youth with an open mind and open heart, led by a passion to support them reaching their goals. Using personal experience, strong ties to the local community, and extensive training, Andres helps build a web of support to surround youth and support youth in identifying goals, such as engagement in education and employment, and overcoming the barriers to achieving these goals.
“Using my past traumatic experience, I lend tools of healing to the young men of color in my community. I provide meaningful support by meeting these youth where they’re at both emotionally and in life, and sharing my experience of when I was in their place. For many of these young men, it is the first time they have had this kind of support from an adult who truly understands the complexity of their lives and who truly believes in their potential.”
Aretha Sconiers, C.A.R.E. Coordinator and Operations Director, Freedom Project East
Pronouns:
introduction coming soon
Demarques McArthur, C.A.R.E. Coordinator
Pronouns: He/Him
introduction coming soon
Dyneeca Vincent, Advocacy Director
Pronouns: She / Her
As a community organizer, Dyneeca seeks to dismantle the Prison Industrial Complex. She actively participates in community outreach, resentencing hearings, pre-trial procedures, and advocates for legislation and sentencing reform. Dyneeca engages in a range of community advocacy activities, including Kids Are Kids, which fights for youth facing adult sentences. She also serves on the Pretrial Committee, where she offers opinions on procedures that may be harmful to people awaiting trial. She contributed to Seattle’s Cannabis Reform policy that was signed into law in 2022. She organizes directly with incarcerated leaders daily, and is committed to centering their voices in every space she is in.
Felicia Dixon, Legal Resource Director
Pronouns: She / Her
Felicia is the Legal Resources Coordinator for the Beyond the Blindfold of Justice Project at Freedom Project. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Sociology at the University of Washington, Seattle. Felicia is passionate about assisting others with the barriers they face in relation to incarceration, marginalization, and oppression. As an indigenous woman, she seeks to dismantle the harm caused by generational trauma and systems of colonialism. Felicia was incarcerated at the age of 18 and served a 16.5-year sentence. She utilizes her lived experience to support justice impacted individuals in accessing resources to assist in legal aid.
Franklyn Smith, Director, Community Resources
Pronouns: He / Him
Franklyn Smith is a justice-involved community leader who has turn his passion and pleasure for assisting individuals in transition (homelessness, incarceration, and treatment programs) into his current profession as a Community Resources Director with Freedom Project. Franklyn was born and raised in Seattle, attending and completing Seattle Public Schools, served in the US Armed Forces-Army, and holds a Degree in Business and Accounting with supporting certificates in Supervisory Management/ Leadership Training, Case Management, Peer Counseling and Credible Messenger Mentoring Training. Franklyn started his professional career in the field of community resources navigation as a volunteer with such organization as St. Vincent DePaul (St. Francis House), Crisis Clinic, and eventually hired by the Freedom Projects (Safe Returns Reentry Program) in 2009. Franklyn has participated in various summits on Homelessness, Reentry and has presented testimony to the WA State House of Representatives, Senate, legislator, and Results WA on the issues of Homelessness, Reentry, and Public Health Safety.
Jermal Joe, C.A.R.E. Coordinator, Freedom Project East
Pronouns: He / Him
Meet Jermal Joe, our talented and passionate C.A.R.E. Coordinator at Freedom Project East. Jermal is based in Spokane, Washington and serves as our ambassador for the greater Eastern Washington region. Born and raised in Yakima, Washington, Jermal comes from a large family and proudly holds the role of eldest male grandchild. He is a natural born leader with a nurturing personality, showcasing exceptional talent in various sports. In his early teen years, Jermal gained significant recognition for his basketball skills, even starting as a freshman for his high school team.
However, at the age of 14, he made a regrettable mistake by co-founding a gang, leading to a downward spiral in his life. Tragically, Jermal took the life of another teenager, resulting in a prison sentence of 31 years and 8 months. Throughout most of his incarceration, he lacked accountability and ownership. It was during his pursuit of an associate’s degree in arts that Jermal participated in a debate class and discovered the concept of restorative justice. This pivotal moment marked a turning point in his maturity, as he embarked on a journey to repair the harm he had caused. Despite the severity of his crime, Jermal’s youthfulness prompted an early release, and since then, he has dedicated himself to healing those directly impacted by mass incarceration. For inquiries or to connect with Jermal, please email.
Kre’Shawna Jones, C.A.R.E. Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her
As a care coordinator for Freedom Project since March 2024, I actively embody the change I aspire to see in the world. I have transformed my personal pain into purpose.
I firmly believe that meaningful change begins by transforming ourselves. My experiences have taught me to transform adversity into personal growth, enriching not only myself but also the community and environment around me.
My work for Freedom Project centers on empowering both youth and adults, with a focus on dismantling self-imposed and systemic barriers. Also, since 2022, I have been affiliated with the Life Enrichment Group, where I contribute by designing and facilitating curriculum, mentoring, and advocating for young adults.
My dedication to community empowerment extends beyond the challenges I’ve overcome. Whatever our past adversities, we all have the opportunity to surpass our limitations. Through active engagement, advocacy, organizational leadership and cultural competence, I am working everyday to achieve our mission.
Thomas Hill, C.A.R.E. Coordinator
Pronouns: He/Him
Thomas Hill is part of the R.P.K.C. Team (Regional Peacekeepers Collective) and a C.A.R.E. Coordinator with Freedom Project. As a community member who has experienced both sides of gun violence, he pours his energy into unearthing solutions to reduce gun violence and collaborating with like-minded folks. His hobbies include spending time with his loved ones, writing and traveling.
Wayne (Weezy) DuBois, RPKC CARE Coordinator
Pronouns: He/Him
Wayne (Weezy) DuBois is a living, breathing example that it is possible.
Growing up in gang culture, overwhelmed with drugs, death and destruction, inevitably led Mr. DuBois to a 20-year sentence for Assault in the 1st Degree.
To prepare for altercations associated with prison, Mr. DuBois began his fitness journey. Through exercise he found structure, discipline, work ethic and relief.
After shedding the first 40 pounds it wasn’t until his uncle – who also at this time was his cellmate – told him “If you do anything like you work out, you will be successful at everything” that he found himself. This began his journey of education.
Since then Mr. DuBois has deeply rooted himself within his community and is passionate about effectively empowering youth and young adults from these same neighborhoods where he once caused so much destruction.
Mr. DuBois is a certified transformation specialist, Strength and Conditioning coach and Nutritionist. He is a sought-after motivational speaker, and the creator and facilitator of Conversations Of Growth (C.O.G.), a highly-regarded oppression and trauma recovery course.
