TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICETDCJ News
TDCJ Hosts First Fall Festival Celebrating Female Peer Workforce
October 23, 2026
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice hosted its first Harvesting Memories Fall Festival, a three‑day event held October 16–18 to recognize the agency’s female peer workforce and support rehabilitation through professional development, personal growth and family engagement. The event brought together certified recovery and mental health peer specialists, life coaches, field ministers and mentors from across the state.
“Our peer workforce spends each day investing in others, offering encouragement, sharing lived experiences and helping individuals navigate their own journeys of change,” said Merci Wood, deputy director of the Rehabilitation and Reentry Division. “Harvesting Memories provided an opportunity for us to invest in them with the same level of intentionality.”
The event opened with “A Metamorphosis Experience,” a full day dedicated to growth and development for more than 100 peer workers. Activities included continuing education sessions, leadership and team‑building exercises, peer‑led presentations, and discussions on ethics, recovery, victim impact and personal transformation. Guest speakers and agency leaders offered guidance and encouragement. The day ended with a 5K run.
The second day featured a traditional fall festival that welcomed families of both peers and staff. Guests took part in games, crafts and recreational activities aimed at building trust, fostering connection and creating lasting memories. The final day focused on extended family visitation, highlighting the importance of family support in rehabilitation and reentry.
Participants represented a wide range of peer‑support roles, including life coaches, certified recovery and mental health peer specialists, field ministers, Strength Through Restoration, Independence, Vision, and Empowerment (STRIVE) mentors, No One Dies Alone (NODA) mentors, Prison Fellowship Academy mentors, Smart Sobriety coaches and spiritual support coaches. Fifteen families attended, including 11 peer families and four staff families.
The festival was supported by several TDCJ divisions, including the Rehabilitation and Reentry Division, the Chaplaincy and Volunteer Services Division, the Classification and Inmate Transportation Division, and the Correctional Institutions Division. Community partners, including the University of Texas Addiction Research Institute, RecoveryPeople, Antioch Prison Ministry, Discipleship Unlimited, Prison Fellowship, and Therapon Ministries also contributed.
Guest speakers included Keidran Brewster; former life coach Andrea Davidson; Texas Board of Criminal Justice members Secretary Sydney Zuiker and Pastor Nate Sprinkle; Lori Mellinger of RecoveryPeople; Albert Yancey III, Faith Beyond Incarceration Ministry; and various agency leaders. Additional advocates, including Jennifer Toon of Lioness and Justin Martinez of the Texas Defender Service, attended in support of the event.
Attendees reported a strong emotional impact from the weekend’s activities. Families described renewed connection and gratitude. Josalyn Anthony, daughter of peer mentor Shy Belser, said that although she has attended family events for decades, she had never experienced anything with the same level of authenticity and engagement. Peer participant Kristin Gamez said she appreciated the chance to connect with others, step back from daily responsibilities and reflect on her own progress.
Staff noted a strengthened sense of purpose after seeing the results of collaboration and intentional investment in the peer workforce.
TDCJ plans to continue Harvesting Memories as an annual event and is exploring expansion of the professional development component into a conference featuring workshops, guest speakers and additional community involvement.
“We want to continue creating meaningful experiences that support personal and professional growth while strengthening connections,” Wood said. “Harvesting Memories was just the beginning, and we are excited about the possibilities for what comes next.”
