“Understand, be careful who you bring in your safe space,” said Kemba Smith-Pradia to the students at Langston University at noon on March 22. Smith-Pradia shared her experience of being involved with the wrong man and reminds the women to know and understand their worth.
The presentation, called “I Fear For My Life,” was provided by the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ), the 400 Years of African American History Commission (400 YAAHC), and Lincoln University Law Enforcement Training Academy (LUETA). The focus was to bring attention to legislation, law enforcement policy, prosecution and defense-related needs, concerns, and contributions of African Americans and other people of color towards equal justice.
Kemba Smith-Pradia is a mother, public speaker, advocate, consultant and author of “The Poster Child.” She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, the NAACP and the Justice Roundtable. She has worked with the White House, the United Nations and members of Congress, and has led many trainings for federal and state probation organizations.
Before Smith-Pradia became the woman she is today some not-so-good decisions were made that landed her in prison for six and half years. Being involved with wrong person through the acts of love put Smith-Pradia in a situation she never thought she would ever be in. Smith-Pradia went from college student to drug dealer’s girlfriend to domestic violence victim to federal prisoner in 1994 for a 24.5 years prison sentence. The case of Smith-Pradia gained support across the nation that was able to help release her from prison. Relationships are not always what they seem to be, “You never know where relationships and people you meet can take you,” said Smith-Pradia.
There are two reasons as to why Smith-Pradia shares her story.
First reason: she believes every young person will make a mistake in life and have the chance to share their story, so that the next young person does not make the same mistake.
Second reason: because Smith-Pradia left behind hundreds of Kemba Smith-Pradias in federal prison and it is important to her to be the face of first-time non-violent drug offenders. It is “important for me to help others get free,” said Smith-Pradia.
Smith-Pradia attended Hampton University when she had her first encounter with the law. Smith-Pradia was young and had low self-esteem, not knowing her worth like she does now. When she got involved with Peter Hall, the campus drug dealer, she had no idea where the relationship would take her. One take-away from Smith-Pradia’s story is, “I need each and every one of you all, male and female, to love you, because if you don’t love you the way you need to you will allow anything around you.” Smith-Pradia’s involvement with Hall became abusive and fearful to the point she did what she had to do to protect herself and her family.
“Understand. Be careful who you bring in your safe spaces,” Smith-Pradia said.
While incarcerated, a black owned magazine called Emerge highlighted Smith-Pradia’s story. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund took on her case because she was a black woman that made a bad choice and the mass population of the prisons were black women. The only way to get Smith-Pradia out was to get President Bill Clinton to sign a document to release Smith prom prison.
In December 2000, Smith-Pradia was released from prison because her story sparked a movement for women with a similar story. “Understand the power of choices”, said Smith-Pradia.
Prison is not a vacation. Some individuals like Smith-Pradia never know when they will see their family again or actually go home. The chapels can be the only space to feel safe. Asked what helped her keep going while not knowing when she would be going home, Smith-Pradia said the other women around her were a source of strength, “Even though I had the support, there were women that were around me that didn’t have the support and so I was grateful through the holidays that my parents would visit me and bring my son, but there were some women incarcerated who could not see their kids … I’m glad you brought this up because I look at them and gain strength from their strength.”
Smith-Pradia has spoken with her colleague Dr. Kideste Mariam Yuself at Bethune-Cookman University, Florida A&M University, Bowie State University, North Carolina Central University, Denmark Technical College, Benedict College, Dillard College, Sam Houston State University, and Langton University. Yusef built her foundation by working hard and believing in herself. Yusef is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and the Department Chair of the undergraduate Criminal Justice and Master’s in Criminal Justice Administration program at Bethune-Cookman University. With many expertise involving community-police relations, police use of force, race and social justice, and performance management. Served 1st Police Accountability Fellow for the Center for Race, Crime, and Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. Also served the 2010-2011 Emerging Scholar for the Consortium for Police Leadership in Equity program at the University of California, Los Angeles. Over the years of Dr. Yusef doing her service she has received many awards including Dean’s Award for Excellence in 2018, Orlando Magic Social Justice Game Changer in 2021, Presidential Award from the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice in 2021, Keynote Speaker for City of Orlando Black History Month in 2021. Not only do Dr. Yusefs awards show the type of woman she is: Strong, Smart, and Black. Recently Dr. Yusef was chosen to be the face of the Kenneth Grant Inspirations Represent African American Photography exhibition, which highlights Black excellence throughout Volusia County. She is the overseer of phase two of the “I Fear for My Life” Initiative that creates space for discussions between African American college students and local police based on mutual fear as the common ground.
Chantele Gordon
Staff Writer
Chantele’ Gordon is a junior English major
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