Sharon Richardson, a returning citizen, is the Founder and Executive Director of Reentry Rocks. In collaboration with the legendary Sister Mary Nerney, Sharon created one of the first re-entry programs in the country that is specifically designed to meet the unique and complex needs of survivors of intimate partner violence and other forms of gender based violence.

While serving 20 years to life for a domestic violence case, Ms. Richardson completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education, in accordance with the standards of the College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy. Ms. Richardson also obtained her Associate Degree in Social Sciences and her Bachelor Degree in Sociology. She uses her personal history to inform her professional work. Her inspirational story and compelling style has also made her an effective speaker and educator. Ms. Richardson has presented on issues of domestic violence at Columbia Law School, Criminal Justice Action Network, CUNY Law School Workshops on Domestic Violence, and Public Trainings on Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act with the Correctional Association of NY.

She also participated at a public screening of the film Crime after Crime, was a panelist at Sakhi conference on Domestic violence, and was a guest on WBAI’s Talkback with Hugh Hamilton 99.5FM. Ms. Richardson is a writer and producer and has put on several productions while incarcerated and at her church since her release from prison.