Fulton County

Activists bail out jailed mothers on Mother's Day

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Just in time for Mother’s Day, a group freed three dozen women from jails across the southeast. They say about a third were locked in the Fulton and Clayton County jails.

"I feel empowered. I feel blessed," Brianna White told Channel 2's Rikki Klaus. White has two young boys.

“I have never missed a holiday, a birthday or anything with my kids. I’m always there," she said.

But the mom got arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated assault and criminal property damage. A judge gave her a $25,000 bond she could not afford.

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“I was like, Lord, please don’t let me miss Mother’s Day with my kids," she said.

Lisa Clinton answered her prayers. Clinton is the regional bailout coordinator at the organization, SONG – or Southerners On New Ground.

“I’m not free until all my people are free," she said. “We fight for the marginalized people, the voiceless people.”

Clinton calls herself a prisoner abolitionist. SONG collected donations for months, ahead of the annual 'Black Mamas Bail-out,' which coincides with Mother’s Day.

“We got over 700 small donations that brought us to $40,000," she said.

Klaus asked Clinton why they do this work.

"Because there’s too many people here in this world who are being discriminated against, and they’re being abused," she said.

White walked out of the Fulton County Jail Saturday morning, just in time to regroup for a Mother’s Day celebration at the SONG offices.

“I’m blessed, for real. You don’t get that every day," she said.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons says women made up just 7% of the prison population last month.