Christina Duncan: Prison for pardon

Presidential election years provide citizens with the opportunity to fulfill their civic duty. For Christina Duncan, however, the presidential election has a deeper meaning because she had to regain her right to vote.

At the age of 25, Christina Duncan was sentenced to a federal prison in West Virginia for a drug offense and lost her civil rights, including the right to vote.

Christina's story is unfortunately not unknown. She says her early teenage years were marked by addiction and unhealthy, abusive relationships that caused her own addictions and poor choices.

These decisions resulted in a three-year prison sentence plus probation, but Christina's inner strength reflected one of her favorite quotes: “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Christina admits that she had difficult times before and during her imprisonment. However, she sees these challenges as eye-openers to a life she didn't know was possible. “I grew up in turmoil and addiction and then made so many mistakes with my own addictions that I had no hope for my life at all. I often wished my life would end. But God, in His grace, mercy and wisdom, allowed me through a prison sentence to detach myself from my life to see a bigger picture of what my life was and ultimately could be in Him.”

During her prison sentence, Christina says, she came to know the Lord and “He blessed me with grace and peace the entire time.” She completed an extensive drug and alcohol rehabilitation program that gave her a break from her prison sentence.

While in prison, Christina performed several community service activities. She worked with the local mayor at the community center. She sang in the prison choir at local churches. She spoke and prayed with students at the local high school.

When Christina was released from prison, she came to Knoxville knowing no one, but the classes and mentors at Hand UP for Women changed her life. She says that after arriving in Knoxville, she met Eva Pierce, the director of Hand Up for Women, a program for women of all backgrounds and walks of life.

The program teaches women how to live healthy, independent, and God-honoring lives, covering all areas of life: healthy eating on a budget, finances, relationships, dealing with injuries, anger interviewing, career preparation, and even car maintenance.

Christina describes the group as a lifelong community of women who become a family. She continues to be a part of the program, through the alumni group, and tries to maintain relationships and encourage former and new participants. She has served on the board for the past three years and calls it one of her greatest honors.

A criminal record has its pitfalls, and Christina had to overcome a few others in addition to her successful reintegration into society.

She tells her story:

“Aside from coming to a place where I didn't know anyone, the biggest challenge was finding a job. I didn't have a great work history and had just been released from a federal prison despite committing a federal crime. However, as the Lord does, He got me a job at a local cleaning company. I was able to learn a lot and grow with the company. I first moved up to a supervisory position and then to the office, eventually becoming the human resources manager. Eventually I moved to a position where I could work from home, and I still believe that honesty and a good work ethic allowed me to continue to grow in that position as well. I now work as an accountant and office manager and have learned a lot over the years, for which I am thankful. All praise is due to God!”

A second major hurdle was the loss of her civil rights. She says she can't even do something as simple as becoming a notary, which would help her in her current job.

Christina was initially not allowed to vote, but in 2019 she regained her right to vote and was able to participate in the 2020 elections.

She has currently applied for a presidential pardon to restore all of her rights. This has been a lengthy process and there is no guarantee it will be approved. She began the application process in 2018 and it took two years of completing paperwork and obtaining character affidavits from Eva Pierce of Hand UP for Women and others. In early 2023, a retired FBI agent who conducts interviews for these pardons conducted interviews with her, her neighbors, friends, and her employer. The application is currently pending.

Christina has a husband and three sons who she says, “aside from salvation and my relationship with the Lord, are my greatest treasure.” Two of her sons had the unfortunate experience of knowing her before her life changed, and yet Christina says God restored even her through it all, and when she and her husband married, he adopted them as his own children. The family enjoys the family farm where they can hike and be outdoors.

Christina recommends that everyone remember this quote from Oswald Chambers: “It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere a man creates has the lasting influence, much more than his activities.”

Each of us has a story and I want to tell yours! Send it to [email protected].