Our Mission

Many describe her as a source of wisdom, kindness, and calm in every situation, but those are just the tools used by Gin Carter in her devoted pursuits of a better world. A peripatetic professional Renaissance woman, she has been a change agent in conservation biology, yoga, wellness, even drum ‘n bass, before cofounding The Humanization Project to focus on reforming Virginia’s draconian justice system. Really, it has all been driven by an impassioned faith in the power of love, which is how she came to leave paradise to do this here. Love for animals and the bonds we share has now also brought her back to vet school to save and heal even more, where she also finds herself a leading voice for tolerance and progres.

Savannah Reitzel’s work with THP is proof that sometimes accidents are the best impetus. Having already visited many far-flung corners of the world in seeking to improve the lives of overlooked people, Savannah has of late been working on numerous projects to improve the lives of the many underserved Virginians via both research and activism. In helping pregnant women behind bars receive humane care, her eyes opened to dehumanization in the justice system. From there, she linked fortuitously with us after finding our website and has already made that site and our voice more powerful and focused. This is but one of a dozen ways in which Savannah actively works to bring more humane treatment where it is lacking, improving individuals’ lives, public health, and scientific understanding in the process.

Harry “Justice” Traynham, known to his family and loved ones as Antwan and by his friends as Justice, is currently incarcerated and has been for the past 27 years. He has used his incarceration to educate himself, become an inspiring writer, and find purpose in becoming an advocate for criminal justice, education, and healthcare reform. He is a loving son, supportive brother, nurturing uncle and trustworthy friend.

Fatimah Muwahhid is a leading voice in justice reform, serving as the Virginia Co-Rep for Survivors4JusticeReform, owner of Fatimah Creations, as a freelance digital content creator. She currently contracts with The Humanization Project to create humanizing campaigns for them.

Since January 2023, Fatimah has also been the Operations and Social Media Manager for The Humanization Project, where she oversaw their digital presence. Her work included creating and distributing engaging content across Instagram, Threads, Facebook, X, and the organization’s website. Fatimah’s expertise is enriched by collaborations with the Legal Aid Justice Center, ACLU-VA, and various grassroots organizations in Virginia. She uses her skills in video and photography editing, along with interview-based storytelling, to power justice reform and survivors legislation campaigns. Her event planning and organizing abilities further strengthen her effective social media strategies

With a passion for public speaking and justice reform advocacy rooted in the powerful positive relationships with women left behind, Kelly Dara offers her voice as The Humanization Project’s Advocate for Women Behind Bars. With an Associate’s of Science, every semester offered from University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and technical skills that include computer applications, plumbing, and electrical work, she brings her passion for all education to identifying and sharing critical voices and information necessary for advancing more humane policies. Having served nearly 30 years after entering as a juvenile, she brings a deep understanding of the unique challenges women face both during and after incarceration. Recognizing how underrepresented these issues are in reform dialogue, she focuses on addressing gender disparities in treatment and support and ensuring that women are equipped with relevant skills and welcomed home equally upon release.

Rachel Gartner Reyes proudly serves as Equity Advisor for The Humanization Project, where she can advocate for a fairer system for those marginalized by society before incarceration and further inside. Thriving as a commercial truck driver, mother, and wife for eight years following her own addiction-driven incarceration as a teenager, she is also trained as a peer recovery specialist and HVAC technician, having educated herself with every class and program available to her. She applies her tenacity and powerful voice advocating for awareness and solutions to the challenges experienced by women and BIPOC members of the justice- impacted community, especially related to language barriers, presumptions of gang affiliation, and the need for trauma-informed programming. Living the intersection of female, Black, and Latinx experiences, she insists that The Humanization Project, the public, and lawmakers better understand and prioritize these topics, adding parallel voices and experiences to our advocacy efforts as an organizer focused on Black and Latinx outreach

Timothy J. Walker is a highly motivated change agent with an appetite to use his combined M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration) and B.A. in Political Science along with his wide-ranging professional experiences to fight for a more equitable society. He hopes to use his unique insights as a returning citizen to inform policy-makers and the public-at-large about the value to communities of investing in sustainable and robust solutions within the justice system and reentry space. Timothy believes in the power of education and the continuous act of educating others as the way to change minds and hearts one conversation at a time.

Claire Marshall is a Research and Policy Intern and a senior at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. She is majoring in Criminology and Sociology with a minor in Spanish. She has also worked at Wegmans in Northern Virginia for 4 years, where she bakes cookies, bread, and decorates cakes. Claire engages in advocacy for incarcerated individuals through her academic work, including essays, research projects, and thoughtful conversations with peers. She hopes to work toward meaningful reform in the Department of Corrections by advocating for the rights and dignity of individuals who are incarcerated. She is especially interested in advancing policies that support restorative justice, grow access to education and mental health resources in prisons, and address systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Claire aspires to contribute to a justice system that prioritizes rehabilitation over punishment and ensures that every person has the opportunity to be heard, supported, and treated with humanity