Liberate Me!
Get to Know a Little About the Founder
Amalia S-A, 38
I am a directly impacted, formerly incarcerated individual whose life reflects the consequences of a system that criminalizes people long before it ever supports them. Before I turned 18, I was already entangled in structures of punishment, rather than protection—set on a path that would later define me as a seven-time felon without ever addressing the systemic failures, trauma, and policy decisions that led there.
For years, I have endured harassment, surveillance, and systemic oppression at the hands of government entities that made no meaningful effort to understand the full context of my history. What the system framed as personal failure was, in truth, the foreseeable outcome of laws and practices that prioritize control over rehabilitation and punishment over restoration. In reality, the predictable outcome of policies designed without accountability, compassion, or equity.
The harm did not stop with me. My children have lived with the collateral consequences of incarceration—witnessing instability, stigma, and the quiet normalization of injustice imposed on families like ours. They have lived inside the ripple effects of injustice—something no child should inherit. This is not an individual tragedy; it is a generational crisis created and sustained by policy, prejudice, and institutional neglect.
Nevada’s Constitution still contains language that refers to people with felony convictions as “slaves.” This is not symbolic oversight—it is a clear reflection of a system that was never designed to recognize our humanity or our capacity for rehabilitation. Language shapes law, and law shapes lives.
Equal Rights 4 Felons, Inc. exists because silence has cost us too much. ER4F was founded to challenge these structures, reform harmful policies, and restore civil, human, and economic rights to justice-impacted individuals and their families. Our work is rooted in lived experience, guided by data and policy reform, and driven by a refusal to allow another generation to inherit punishment as a birthright. Silence is no longer an option. It is time to confront these truths, to demand structural change, and to reclaim a future that refuses to be stolen from our children. This is not just about justice for those directly impacted—it is about the integrity of our communities and the generations that follow. This is not only about correcting past harm—it is about building a future grounded in dignity, equity, and opportunity for those society has long excluded.
Wes Avila, 39
I’m Amalia’s spouse, and I too am a directly impacted individual. I made mistakes and believed I had paid my debt through my time served. I’ve been off paper for about 4-5 years now, yet I continue to face barriers. According to my plea agreement — an Alford plea I felt forced to accept — this should have been behind me. Instead, like my wife said, it feels like eternal condemnation.
Addiction Is a Disability — And Deserves Protection
At Equal Rights 4 Felons, we recognize that substance use disorder is a medical condition — not a moral failure. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals in recovery from addiction are protected from discrimination in housing, employment, and public services.
Our Gifted Right
If we believe in the Constitution, then it must apply to all—especially those who’ve turned their lives around.
Equal Rights 4 Felons advocates for the restoration of constitutional rights, including the Second Amendment, for rehabilitated individuals.
This is about justice, dignity, and fairness.
Join us in restoring what should never have been taken forever.
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Help Our Cause
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Our Purpose is to break the pattern!
Obstacles in the Experiences
Even without admitting guilt, an Alford plea results in a criminal record — and all the lifelong barriers that come with it:
- Denied housing due to conviction records
- Limited access to employment
- Civil rights restrictions (like voting or firearm bans)
- Stigma in recovery, education, and family court systems
Too many people are punished beyond their sentence — not for guilt, but for trying to survive a broken system.
Our Approach
We believe that reentry must be fair, humane, and trauma-informed. That means:
- Recognizing the unique challenges faced by those who accepted plea agreements
- Restoring civil rights regardless of technical plea language
- Providing second chances not based on labels, but on humanity and rehabilitation
The system may not always get it right — but we can.
It’s time to shed light on the silent injustices within plea bargaining and work toward true restoration.
A Team in Your Corner
A Team in Your Corner
A Team in Your Corner
Our board members have all been negatively impacted by the Nevada judicial system, equipping us with unique experience, a deeply informed perspective backed by research, and valuable insight
Legacy of Success
A Team in Your Corner
A Team in Your Corner
I grew weary of feeling cornered and forced into limited means of earning, simply because Las Vegas employers denied me opportunities. This directly triggered a domino effect, leading to a cycle of recidivism. Every parole granted required employment, yet felon-friendly jobs were nonexistent. Without a steady income, stable housing vanished, leading to homelessness. In that vulnerable state, the draw of substance use became overwhelming – a way to quell immediate needs and silence the hunger. This vicious cycle, I believe, is a direct byproduct of our justice system, actively contributing to recidivism rates. It's time to disrupt the patterns induced by the system itself