Loving You Into Freedom Announces 2026 Impact Awards Honoree Dinner

LYIF Media
Jan 20
4 min read

Left to right: Crystal Jovanna Ferguson, Tiffany Vulcain, Chris Clerveau ,Yolanda Soto, and Enroy Bishop 📸 Photo by: Shania Roseborough

Honoring leaders advancing reentry, family strength, and community healing through service and enterprise.

New York, New York — January 20, 2026 — Loving You Into Freedom (LYIF) announced

today it hosted the Loving You Into Freedom Impact Awards — Honoree Dinner last night, Monday, January 19, 2026, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, recognizing three community leaders whose work uplifts justice-impacted families and strengthens pathways to stability and opportunity. The intimate evening celebrated honorees Tiffany Vulcain, Yolanda Soto, and Chris Clerveau.

The evening carried special significance as it was held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the same day eight years ago that Loving You Into Freedom was born marking a powerful milestone rooted in service, community, and the enduring work of liberation.

The Honoree Dinner is part of LYIF’s ongoing mission to support families and individuals impacted by incarceration through community-based programs, resource connection, and advocacy. By spotlighting leadership that emerges from lived experience and community commitment, LYIF aims to amplify solutions that move beyond survival and toward long-term restoration.

“At Loving You Into Freedom, we believe recognition is not just a moment—it’s a message,” said Crystal Jovanna Ferguson, MPA , CoFounder of Loving You Into Freedom. “When we honor people who have rebuilt their lives and turned that rebuilding into service, we normalize what’s possible. We affirm dignity, we celebrate resilience, and we invite the community to invest in outcomes that strengthen families.”

“Tonight reflects what Loving You Into Freedom stands for: honoring transformation, uplifting families, and building real pathways to opportunity. Tiffany, Yolanda, and Chris represent what’s possible when people are supported and celebrated, not reduced to their past. We’re committed to amplifying their leadership and continuing the work of restoration in our communities,” said Enroy Bishop, Executive Director and CoFounder of Loving You Into Freedom.

LYIF also received a Certificate of Recognition from New York City Mayor Zohran K. Mamdani, acknowledging the organization’s service and impact for justice-impacted families.

This quarter’s honorees reflect LYIF’s belief that reentry success is a community effort, powered by mentorship, economic opportunity, and consistent grassroots advocacy. The dinner convened supporters, sponsors, community partners, and media to celebrate progress, elevate local leadership, and encourage collective action to better serve justice-impacted families.

Honorees and Awards

Tiffany Vulcain — Second Chance Leader of The Year: Celebrating a returning citizen who turned their life around and now inspires others through mentorship, leadership, and community work.
Yolanda Soto — Economic Empowerment Champion of the Year: Honoring resilience and innovation—recognizing a returning citizen or family member building a business and creating opportunity in the face of real odds.
Chris Clerveau — Community Advocate of the Year: Recognizing grassroots leadership that shows up for families impacted by incarceration—again and again and again.

Chris Clerveau, honored for grassroots advocacy supporting justice-impacted families, emphasized the power of community support and mission-driven leadership. “Receiving this honor reminds me that freedom is love in action, being seen, supported, and given room to grow. I’m grateful for my village. When I committed to being the example, my team showed up for me in ways people never saw, and they gave me the energy to stay committed to the world we want. There are people out here hurting and I’m honored to keep moving forward in this mission.”

Tiffany Vulcain, recognized for mentorship and reentry leadership, reflected on how often frontline work goes unseen and why community celebration matters. “Thank you to Loving You Into Freedom for honoring my work. When you’re in the trenches supporting individuals transitioning back into the community, the work can be heavy and often goes unnoticed. To be celebrated like this, surrounded by community, means a lot. I’m grateful, and it’s only up from here.”

Yolanda Soto, honored for economic empowerment, highlighted the role families play in liberation and the importance of learning how to love people through reentry. “Love and liberation resonated with me because I know what it is to be loved and liberated. If it weren’t for my family, I wouldn’t be here. Loving You Into Freedom matters because so many families have loved ones in the system and they need support learning how to love them well. That love is what helps people come home, heal, and feel free within themselves.”

LYIF will continue honoring leaders throughout 2026 and is set to recognize 12 people this year through its quarterly Impact Awards.

Nominations Now Open

To nominate a leader for the next quarter’s Loving You Into Freedom Impact Awards, submit a nomination using this link: NOMINATION LINK.

How to Support

Loving You Into Freedom welcomes individuals and organizations who want to invest in community restoration and family stability. Supporters can:

Donate: Help fund programs serving justice-impacted families https://givebutter.com/DzPdXL
Sponsor: Underwrite the Impact Awards and LYIF programming
Partner: Collaborate through services, resources, and community initiatives
Volunteer: Support LYIF events and outreach efforts

For sponsorships, partnerships, or media inquiries, contact partnerships@lovingyouintofreedom.com. For LinkedIn audiences: Support via the link in bio and follow Loving You Into Freedom for updates.

About Loving You Into Freedom (LYIF)

Loving You Into Freedom (LYIF) is a community-centered nonprofit dedicated to supporting families and individuals impacted by incarceration. LYIF works to strengthen reentry outcomes, build stability, and expand opportunity through direct support, community-based programming, resource connection, and advocacy. Centering dignity, healing, and forward-moving solutions, LYIF collaborates with partners to help justice-impacted families thrive, not just transition. Learn more at www.lovingyouintofreedom.com