Email: ceo@freedtx.org | 210-994-2598​
Our Founder
Leonora Walker
Chief Executive Officer
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For nearly a decade, Light Walker has been at the forefront of policy advocacy, systemic
transformation, and community-driven change.
As a formerly incarcerated Afro-Latina woman, she brings a perspective that is rarely
represented in politics—one that deeply understands the systemic barriers
that keep communities trapped in cycles of economic exclusion, incarceration, and
generational poverty.
As the Founder and CEO of FREED Texas, a nationally recognized, peer-led re-entry
organization, Light has worked to dismantle these barriers through education,
employment, and trauma-informed advocacy. Under her leadership, FREED Texas has built
partnerships with Alamo Colleges, Union Pacific, SAPD, and Bexar County,
offering scholarships, workforce certifications, and unrestricted financial support to
justice-impacted individuals and their families.
Her work extends far beyond re-entry—she is committed to reshaping policies that impact
education, economic equity, housing, and public safety at the city,
state, and national levels.
From System-Impacted to System-Changer
After her release from the Bexar County system, Light lived at Haven for Hope, where she became a peer support specialist and began her college education. She later volunteered in prisons across Texas for five years, including two years teaching at the Women’s Lockhart Prison while still on probation. These experiences solidified her understanding of systemic injustices and fueled her drive to create solutions through policy and leadership.
Breaking Barriers, Creating Policy, and Building a Legacy
Light Walker’s leadership, activism, and policy expertise have earned her recognition from news outlets, political organizations, and advocacy groups across the country. She was selected as one of the organizations to provide critical re-entry services during the COVID-19 pandemic and one of Texas’ worst freezes, proving that grassroots organizations
are often the first line of defense in times of crisis. As a homeowner, mother, grandmother, and community leader, Light has rebuilt her life from the ground up, proving that true transformation is possible when systems invest in
people instead of punishing them. Her mission is clear: to create policy that removes systemic barriers, builds economic
pathways, and ensures that the communities most affected by injustice are at the forefront of decision-making.
“I’m not perfect. I’m just FREED.”
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Bio and Headshot
For speaking events, please use the linked bio and headshots.
