Kemba Smith Pradia Remains Committed to Criminal Justice Reform

In one of his last official acts as President, Joe Biden issued a full pardon to Kemba Smith Pradia, a criminal justice reform advocate. She is also the founder of the Kemba Smith Foundation, a nonprofit organization that uses its platform to raise awareness about issues related to criminal justice reform, violence, and drug abuse. Smith Pradia spent six years in prison for drug-related charges before being granted clemency by President Bill Clinton. Her story is dramatized in the 2024 movie, Kemba.

As a survivor of domestic violence, Smith Pradia also believes that all stakeholders in the criminal justice system need to educate themselves on…how victims of domestic abuse face an increased risk of incarceration.

In many ways, Smith Pradia was a victim of the tough-on-crime policies enacted during the War on Drugs. Although she never sold drugs, her boyfriend at the time was the leader of a major drug ring. Even though she was a victim of domestic abuse at his hands, her connection to him led her to be charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. She was initially sentenced to 24-and-a-half years in prison.

There are many others like Smith Pradia who are still incarcerated or struggling to find quality housing and employment due to the lingering impact of the War on Drugs. Former President Biden attempted to alleviate some of this harm during the final days of his administration by commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses just days before leaving office—the highest number of pardons in history.

By contrast, President Trump has continued to be tough on crime, even going as far as to say that he wants to impose the death penalty on drug dealers.

As Smith Pradia told NPQ, this makes her shiver it hits so close to home.

“I know, categorically, I was considered a drug dealer because the federal government held me accountable for 255 kilos of crack cocaine even though the prosecutor said I never handled, used, or sold any of the drugs,” she said.

Though it is unlikely that the death penalty will ever be imposed for drug offenses in the United States, this sentiment illustrates the obstacles criminal justice advocates may face in the years to come. And yet, they are committed to the battle and remain hopeful that they may even be able to work with some unlikely allies.

In an interview with NPQ, Kemba Smith Pradia noted how advocates push forward reform under Trump’s first administration. As she emphasized, this was not their first rodeo.

The Fight for Reform

In the early days of the first Trump administration, Smith Pradia’s friend, Topeka Sam, invited her to an event at the White House. Sam, the founder of the Ladies of Hope Ministries, which supports women and girls who are impacted by the criminal legal system, spoke at the White House event.

When Smith Pradia arrived, one of the first things she noticed was that the White House looked very different than when she had previously been there during President Obama’s administration.

“Going into this new White House administration, I didn’t see a person of color walking in. The first person that I saw who was a person of color was actually a waiter,” Smith Pradia said.

At the event—which Smith Pradia attended largely because she believes in and supports Sam’s work—Trump introduced the First Step Act, the bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing recidivism. Smith Pradia noted that as this legislation was introduced, she was cautiously optimistic, wondering how much reform could take place with someone like Trump in office and someone like Jeff Sessions serving as Attorney General.

“I just think you have to go in with your morals and values, know what it is you’re trying to accomplish, and try to push forward with that goal.”

Still, as an advocate, Smith Pradia saw how she and others could make gains in this tough terrain. She points to the evolution of the First Step Act, which initially was less progressive than its final version, but was improved because of people and organizations on the ground who sought to uplift the needs of directly impacted people. And despite political headwinds, family members of incarcerated people had to continue to advocate for their loved ones. For them, giving up was not an option.

Smith Pradia recalled the working group on clemency she attended during the first Trump administration. Though initially hesitant, she felt her presence was necessary largely because of her advocacy efforts—no matter who was in elected office. Her advocacy, in turn, allowed her to amplify the stories of women like her friend, Michelle West, who was granted clemency by President Biden after serving over 30 years in prison.

“I just think you have to go in with your morals and values, know what it is you’re trying to accomplish, and try to push forward with that goal,” Smith Pradia said.

Impacted People at the Table

For Smith Pradia, a key concern right now is reaching young people and ensuring they don’t encounter the criminal justice system. As a survivor of domestic violence, Smith Pradia also believes that all stakeholders in the criminal justice system need to educate themselves on domestic violence and how victims of domestic abuse face an increased risk of incarceration.

Despite political headwinds, family members of incarcerated people had to continue to advocate for their loved ones. For them, giving up was not an option. 

Smith Pradia is committed to advocating for policies like the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences. She believes that a substantial amount of current spending on incarceration could be put to much better use by addressing issues on the front end, and that far too often taxpayer dollars are used to incarcerate people who are no longer a threat to society. And, as someone who was given a second chance, she believes that second chances are critical.

Though there will be uphill battles in the coming years, Smith Pradia believes that the voices of impacted people must be included in policy discussions.  

“I want to strongly encourage government organizations, nonprofits, our legacy civil rights organizations, as we move forward in this time,” Smith Pradia said, “that we make sure that we’re having some of the impacted people at the table and we’re strategizing how to move our plans forward.”