When my sister asked me to run the New York Marathon with her for the Women’s Prison Association (WPA), my first thought was: I can’t run a marathon.

But then she told me about her work at a prison—what she was seeing and learning, and it stuck with me.

I’ve always been passionate about advocating for women—but I had a blind spot. I wasn’t paying attention to the women around me affected by incarceration.

Over the last four decades, the number of women in prison has skyrocketed at nearly twice the rate of men. And 80% of incarcerated women are mothers. And the more I sat with those numbers, the more I realized: maybe I could run 26 miles.

What if, instead of spending billions locking women away, we invested that time, energy, and money into something better—into support, into reentry, into second chances?

That’s where the Women’s Prison Association comes in. WPA is the nation’s oldest service and advocacy organization for women impacted by the criminal legal system. They provide job readiness training, safe housing, healthcare, and so much more.

If $250 funds job readiness training for one woman, then $3,000 means real momentum toward opportunity, stability, and self-determined futures. I’m excited to see what we can fundraise together.

Over the next seven months, I’ll be training for my first 10K, then a half marathon, and finally the full New York City Marathon. I’ll be sharing the journey—from gasping at mile 4 to (hopefully) crossing the finish line at mile 26 feeling strong.

Let’s combat those billions—one mile and one donation at a time.