We didn't just
survive the system.
We're Changing it.
Based in Atlanta, Women on the Rise is led by Black women building the political power of formerly incarcerated and justice-impacted women across the entire state of Georgia.
HB 582
Signed into law in May 2025. The Georgia Survivor Justice Act prevents victims of domestic abuse from being unjustly punished for survival crimes.
$2 BILLION JAIL
Stopped. The Fulton County jail expansion was defeated alongside the Community over Cages Coalition in 2024, protecting Atlanta from another failed investment in incarceration.
Since 2013
Leading. We organize, heal, and build power with the women most impacted by the system. Our work is rooted in dignity and driven by the liberation of our communities.
Our Mission
Women on the Rise (WoR) was founded to bridge the gap in support of formerly incarcerated women and their families by harnessing the power of our lived experience. We work to dismantle oppressive laws and policies through education, healing, and community organizing. Through advocacy and storytelling, we uplift the voices of those most impacted to drive lasting change and build collective power.
Our Vision
Women on the Rise envisions a world where women, families, and communities don’t just survive but truly thrive. Together, we commit to educating, healing, and empowering ourselves and one another as we build stronger communities and demand justice and dignity for all.
OUR PILLARS
Three ways we build power.
Membership
Join a community of women with shared lived experiences, healing together. Membership is free. Meetings are monthly.
Policy
From Ban the Box to the Survivor Justice Act, our members lead the campaigns that shape Georgia’s justice landscape.
ReEntry
Come home to women who have walked the path and are ready to walk beside you. We connect women to housing, mental health care, employment, and more.
Featured Story
Change in Action
LANDMARK WIN
Georgia just made
history for domestic violence survivors.
Governor Kemp signed HB 582—the Georgia Survivor Justice Act—into law in May 2025. For the first time since 1993, our state’s self-defense statute reflects the reality of survivors. For the first time since 1968, our coercion statute does, too. Women on the Rise members and the Survivor Justice Initiative made this happen.
