Educate People  Empower Families  Eliminate Injustice
P.O. Box 68277
Indianapolis, IN 46268
317-218-3456 office
317-218-3892 fax
Kemba Smith - Bio
Growing up as the only child in Richmond, Virginia suburb, Kemba Smith led an
advantaged and sheltered childhood. After graduating from high school in 1989, Kemba
left the security of her family to continue her education at prestigious Hampton University
in Hampton, Virginia. What happened to Kemba in her new campus environment was a
nightmare. Away from the protective watch of her mother and father and in an attempt to
“fit in”, Kemba fell in with the wrong crowd and became involved with a drug dealer. He
was a major figure in a crack cocaine ring, and drew Kemba right in the middle of his life
with physical, mental and emotional abuse disguised as “love”.
Eventually, after enduring this turbulent four-year relationship in 1994, Ms. Smith
was sentenced to 24.5 years and served 6.5 years in federal prison. Fortunately, Ms.
Smith regained her freedom after President Clinton granted her clemency in December
2000. Her case drew support from across the nation and the world in a crusade to reverse
a disturbing trend in the rise of lengthy sentences for first time non-violent offenders. Her
story has been featured on CNN, Nightline, Court TV, The Early Morning Show,
Donahue, Judge Hatchett and a host of other television programs, along with several
publications such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Glamour, People, JET,
Emerge and Essence Magazines.
As a newlywed, mother, advocate, consultant and public speaker, Ms. Smith has
received numerous awards and recognitions for her courage and determination to educate
the public about the devastating social, economic and political consequences of current
drug policies. She has been corporately sponsored to speak at a variety of high schools
and college venues by Proctor & Gamble’s Pantene “Totally You Tour”, Bank One
Academy, Shell Corporation, Traveler’s Foundation, Verizon, and BET’s “Rap It Up
Tour”. Ms. Smith’s traumatic real life experience, forces today’s students to listen in
hopes that they will recognize that there are consequences to their life choices.
In May 2002, Ms. Smith graduated from Virginia Union University with a
bachelor’s degree in Social Work and was later awarded a two year Soros Justice
Postgraduate Fellowship for advocates in 2003. Ms. Smith has completed her first year of
law school at Howard University and is continuing to develop her 501 (c) (3) foundation,
the Kemba Smith Foundation. Also, Rainforest Films, which produced the critically
acclaimed films Stomp the Yard and This Christmas, has acquired the rights to produce
Ms. Smith’s life story into a film. Ultimately, it is Kemba Smith’s hope to uplift youth
and inspire them to become educated about certain injustices within the criminal justice
system while continuing the legacy of women leaders in the struggle for the betterment of
our communities. Whether it is through grassroots organizing or lobbying on Capitol Hill
to promote action, this, she believes, is her mission.