Women’s History is not just something we honor one month of the year. It’s something we are living. Every day, we witness women rewriting their stories in real time, choosing healing, reclaiming their voice, building stability, and stepping into leadership after systems tried to define them.
At The Ladies of Hope Ministries, we know this truth: when women are supported, history shifts.
This month, we’re celebrating the women who are not only surviving but transforming their lives and the systems around them.
Marta Barreto: A Story of Radical Possibility
We’re proud to celebrate Marta Barreto, a Pathways 4 Equity (P4E) and Faces of Women Imprisoned (FOWI) alum, whose story is featured on The Hidden Third Podcast, from Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller.
In the episode, Marta shares the truth of what she survived — childhood abuse, exploitation, addiction, incarceration, and the long road to healing. Today, she is living proof of what happens when women are supported, invested in, and given the opportunity to rebuild.
Marta went on to pursue engineering and work on rocket propulsion technology — a powerful reminder that justice-impacted women are not defined by what they’ve been through, but by what is possible when they are given a real chance.
Housing Success Story:
Naferti’s Next Chapter
When Naferti entered Hope House, she was looking for stability — and found a path forward.
“Since I entered the Hope House, I have gained a sense of self-awareness,” she shared. “It helped me regain control of my life by allowing me to have stability in housing so that I can gain independence again.”
With support from The LOHM, Naferti was able to rebuild her confidence, return to school, find employment, and continue working toward a more stable future for herself and her children.
“I’m really grateful, and thank you is not enough.”
Her story is a reminder that housing is more than shelter; it is often the first step toward healing and independence.
FOWI Alum Spotlight: Born Captive
The LOHM is proud to celebrate FOWI alum Starling Thomas and her powerful short film, Born Captive a bold, poetic project confronting the reality of pregnancy and birth behind bars.
Co-directed by Starling Thomas and Naturi Naughton-Lewis, and starring Naturi Naughton-Lewis, Born Captive shines a light on the ongoing crisis of prison births in America and the generations of Black women impacted by incarceration, motherhood, and state violence.
As a formerly incarcerated filmmaker and storyteller, Starling is using film to challenge silence, shift narrative, and demand change, transforming lived experience into art that moves people and pushes culture forward.
Born Captive is currently in post-production, and Starling is actively raising funds to help bring the film across the finish line.
Support the film at the link below.
When justice-impacted women tell the truth through art, the world has to listen.
LOHM Events: West Harlem Summit
This summer, The LOHM is bringing community together for the West Harlem Summit: a space for connection, conversation, and real opportunity.
From workforce pathways to healing and reentry support, this gathering is about making sure our people have access to the resources, relationships, and room to grow.
More details coming soon — but trust, this is one you’ll want to be in the room for.
Make an Impact
Invest in Women Making History
This Women’s History Month, we’re reminded that history is not only something we look back on — it’s something we are building right now.
Every day, justice-impacted women are rewriting what’s possible for themselves, their families, and their communities. But they should not have to do it alone.
Your gift helps fund housing, healing, leadership, and opportunity for women rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
Because when we invest in women, we change generations.