Button's Journey: PTSD the first two years, describes in detail the effects of long-term abuse and trauma. What happened to her as a child, prisoner, adult, and most importantly how she began to live again. Like the Lotus Flower, Buttons took her swampy, filthy experiences and used them to bloom. This is not her first time recreating a new positive image to inspire many and empower most. Button's Journey (first in a series), tells a poetic story of hope and manifesting the life you deserve. Relax, get your highlighter, pencil and favorite beverage. You are about to have a conversation with Buttons! Become part of the story as you read Button's Journey.
About the Author: LaResse Harvey, was the Director of Strategic Relations at A Better Way Foundation, a Connecticut nonprofit organization that works to establish reentry policies, substance abuse treatment, and overall public health model towards ending the war on drugs. As the Executive Director of Civic Trust Public Lobbying Company in Connecticut, she worked to support community legislative priorities by providing lobbying services for anyone. Ms. Harvey was the Criminal Justice Committee chair of New Britain NAACP chapter; Community Liaison on Connecticut Legislator's Eyewitness Committee; One of the national leaders on "Ban the Box", formally incarcerated people's campaign to remove incarceration question on job applications, known as the Fair Chance campaign. Ms. Harvey advocated for the Children's Act of 1988 as a teen mom. In 2008, LaResse Harvey helped to put an end to Connecticut's '3-Strikes law' and published an article with the International Journal of Music promoting the importance of "The Arts" as a form of rehabilitation. Her vast sense of knowledge in policies to strengthen Connecticut's communities have helped greatly in reducing imprisonment and increasing reentry efforts. In 2011, Ms. Harvey successfully advocated and lobbied for Marijuana Decriminalization, 911 Good Samaritan, Sentence Modification, reestablishment of Good Time, National Recommendations to Eliminate Prison Rape, Credit Report discrimination, creation of Department of Correction Advisory Committee and provide protection for expelled students to participate in adult education programs without being required to officially withdraw from school. As a lobbyist, Ms. Harvey has passed over fifty pieces of legislation and created the Speak Up! Speak Out! Advocacy toolkit that was translated into fifty-two languages. Legislation that helped closed three Connecticut prisons. Ms. LaResse Harvey knows first-hand the importance of community organization, advocacy, civic engagement and lobbying as tools to create change. Ms. Harvey has over ten years' experience working on issues of a women's right to choose, housing, reentry, drug treatment, and custodial parental rights. Ms. Harvey has four college degrees, three Associates Degrees from Tunxis Community College and a bachelor's in social work from University of Saint Joseph's College. Ms. Harvey serves as a living example as to what an individual can offer, Hope, Change, and Second Chances.