My name is Brandy Adames. I’m a mom of four, a college student pursuing a degree in psychology, an advocate, and the founder of the newly launched program Texas Juvenile Alliance. TJA isn't just a program I started, this mission is personal to me.

I first became involved in the juvenile justice system when I was only 11 years old, and by 13, I was sent to the Texas Youth Commission (TYC). I faced challenges at a young age that I didn't always know how to handle, and I didn't always make the best choices.

 

Now, as an adult and a mother, I can look back at that young girl very differently. I understand the importance of accountability, but I also understand how important it is to ask what's going on behind a young person's behavior. Sometimes the kid everyone sees as "trouble" is really a kid who is struggling, hurting, or simply doesn't know how to say, "I need help."

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Becoming a mom changed so much for me. My four children are a huge part of what motivates me to do this work. Raising them has shown me how much love, consistency, guidance, accountability, and simply having someone in your corner can make a difference in a child's life.

My work in prison advocacy opened my eyes even more. I began hearing stories from incarcerated men and women and noticed how often their stories didn't begin with the crime that sent them to prison. For many, their struggles started years earlier when they were kids. It made me start asking a bigger question: What if we reached them sooner?

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That question became a huge part of Texas Juvenile Alliance.

I created TJA because I want to reach young people who are already involved in the juvenile justice system, those who are at risk of entering it, and the kids who may be struggling quietly before anyone realizes they need help.

I believe young people need accountability, but I also believe they need mentorship, support, resources, positive relationships, and adults who are willing to see more in them than their worst decision. One decision should not define a lifetime.

I'm continuing my education in psychology, with goals of becoming a social worker and eventually a licensed counselor. I want to continue learning and combine that education with my lived experience and advocacy work to better serve young people and their families.

I can't go back and change the path I walked, but I can use it.

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If sharing what I've learned, building these programs, and showing up for young people can help even one kid choose a different path than the one I went down, then everything we're building through Texas Juvenile Alliance is worth it.

That's why I started TJA. And that's why this work means so much to me.