Appleseed welcomes new program assistant Kamora Porter

By Kamora Porter, Appleseed Program Assistant

My name is Kamora Porter, and I am honored to be joining Alabama Appleseed as the Program Assistant for Parole and Reentry. As a recent graduate of Emory University, where I earned two degrees in Political Science & African American Studies, I am elated to begin my professional journey with an organization that is deeply committed to social justice and creating meaningful change in Alabama. I am elated to be working for an organization like Appleseed that believes in the power of second chances! 

I have always been passionate about advocacy and have spent much of my academic and personal life thinking of the best ways to be an advocate for others. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, a city rooted in a rich history of advocacy and overcoming, shaped and molded my understanding of the importance of this work. From a young age, I could not help but be aware of the struggles within our state’s justice system and saw firsthand how these policies affect individuals, families, and communities. My connection to this work also comes from personal experience. I often think about my own uncle who struggled with recidivism and spent years constantly moving from prison to prison. Through his experience, one thing remained consistent: the horrid conditions of Alabama’s prisons and the many difficulties our criminal justice system poses for those trying to find a path forward. His story was one of many that has stayed with me and shaped the way I think about justice and accountability but most importantly, second chances. 

This is one of the major things I deeply admire about Alabama Appleseed. The organization recognizes the need for reform within our criminal justice system and also understands that commitment to this work requires extending this advocacy to the lives of individuals. Appleseed centers people most impacted by these systems and ensures that individuals, people like my uncle, are treated with fairness, dignity, and a genuine opportunity for redemption.

It is organizations like Appleseed that remind me just why this work matters. At its core, Appleseed is committed to helping the lives of people in Alabama not just today but for years to come. To be able to contribute to that mission, especially at the beginning of my career, is an opportunity that I do not take for granted. 

I am so grateful to be able to join this amazing organization and am excited for all that this experience will teach me. I hope to gain both the breadth and depth of knowledge that will allow me to grow as an advocate and carry this work with me wherever the future leads. Even more importantly, I am excited to learn from people who do this work day to day and play even a small role in making a more just Alabama.