Interview with Lori Mellinger
Title
Interview with Lori Mellinger
Description
Lori Mellinger helps provide support for women recently released from prison. As a formerly incarcerated person herself, Lori knows the challenges faced by individuals re-entering free society. At the time of this interview, she had recently begun working at New Beginning, Big Country-- a transitional living community for recently released women in West Texas. In this interview, Lori talks about her job and the women she has worked with and how their parole and release schedules have been affected by COVID-19. Lori discusses the obstacles recently released individuals face when re-entering the free world– specifically lack of access to food and housing, government IDs, and other legal documents. Lori also references her own experience with incarceration, sharing viewpoints on what some of the specific needs are for women behind bars Additionally, she speaks about the difficulties raising public awareness for prison reform and incarceration rights, but feels encouraged by the strong community of women whom she works with. This interview was conducted on August 14th, 2020 via Zoom with interviewer Murphy Anne Carter and narrator Lori Mellinger.
Creator
Lori Mellinger
Publisher
Texas After Violence Project
Date
August 14, 2020
Contributor
Murphy Anne Carter, Emily Henry, Casey Herz
Rights
Relation
Interview with Maggie Luna
Interview with Lauren Johnson
Interview with Lauren Johnson
Format
.mp4
Language
English
Type
interview
Identifier
tav00104
Coverage
North America--United States--Texas
Interviewer
Murphy Anne Carter
Interviewee
Lori Mellinger
Location
remote
Duration
00:55:01
Collection
Citation
Lori Mellinger, “Interview with Lori Mellinger,” Sheltering Justice, Texas After Violence Project, accessed October 12, 2025, https://shelteringjustice.texasafterviolence.org/items/show/42.