Mom to four young children, three boys, and one girl, Jakeria arrived at ReMerge in October 2021 facing drug trafficking charges and up to 7 years in prison. She had an open DHS case in relation to her charges with her children being placed in four separate foster homes. What Jakeria shares was most heartbreaking, her 6-year-old twins, whom she describes as being inseparable, were living apart from each other for the first time in their young lives.

Jakeria courageously embraced the opportunity for a second chance for herself and her children. She utilized the tools and resources at ReMerge, committed to changing the persons, places, and things in her life, and began forging a new pathway for herself and her family. Through the support of the Strengthening Families program at ReMerge, Jakeria committed to becoming the best parent possible. She says Parenting From the Inside Out, one of the Strengthening Families program classes, helped transform the relationship between herself and her children. 

“I learned how to ask questions and let them talk. They were sharing their interests and then they started reversing the questions back to me. I needed to take these classes because it's helped me realize there is never a right or wrong way to learn about your kids,” she says.