Emmy Award Nominee, Author, Educator, Inspirational Speaker. Who is a progressive national social justice matter expert. She uses her unique life experiences to advocate and support legislative policies that advance smart criminal justice reform. As a passionate community leader, mentor, mother, grandmother and organizer. She is reimagining what re-entry with support looks like for women as:
CEO/Founder of Giving Others Dreams (GOD), a non-profit organization that provides direct re-entry services and holistic support for justice impacted women. It’s a powerful holistic peer to peer approach. Our team of impacted leaders, system survivors truly understand the barriers, health, safety and wellness needs of incarcerated or formerly incarcerated women and families.
Creating a space where there’s no judgement and there’s no disparities. A world where you’re welcome home by a tribe of other system survivors. Who are praying for your success. Supporting you, cheering you on. Mentoring, you and Coaching you, teaching moving you forward. Reinstalling hope and a successful reentry.Which adds to our goal of reducing the recidivism rate for women and stopping violence woman face.
Through our many community partners we connect them to free mental-health care and direct supportive services.
As a speaker and educator she frequently has speaks at conferences,elementary schools, universities, churches, jails, treatment centers, prisons, before legislators, on legislative committees, appeared on television, radio and pod cast shows.
2020 Urban Scholar Fellow for the University of Illinois Chicago Jane Addams college of Social Work
Community Task Force member – For the city of Chicago -CPD -Use of Force Working Group
Emmy award nominee for my role in the documentary series The Marshall Project – We are Witnesses – Chicago
Just Leadership USA 2018 Alumni
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx Returning Citizen Advisory Board Member
Speaker for the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. State Attorney’s Office: Project Safe Neighborhood Program @ the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center
Chicago- Ambassador for Cut 50
Awards:
*Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Division
Women’s History Month Committee presents to Celia Colõn- Valiant Women of the Vote-3/26/20
*Inspired to Speak -Business Accelerator
presents to Celia Colõn
Community Impact Award Recipient 2020
*I Will Ministry presents to Celia Colon “Outstanding Work In Chicago” 2019
*Women of Purpose Community Service Honoree presented to Celia Colon Humanitarian Award “ In honor of her experience ,outreach and influence in the communities. Celia brings awareness to sexual abuse as well as mentoring others to strive in life and business.”
A Caring Hand Foundation September 2018
“Sheroes Inspire Others With Passion and Triumph. We Salute you for Your Efforts and Quite Simply for being Fierce”
*Fierce Over 40 “Shero Award’ October 2017