About TPCA
Building a More Humane Texas
Our Mission
Our Mission is to serve incarcerated individuals, their impacted families, and to empower all through increased awareness, education and collaboration, thereby creating effective advocates who can advance humane conditions within the Texas prison system.
Our Vision
The incarcerated and impacted families in Texas face the same challenges found elsewhere in the United States: a prison system the public assumes operates efficiently and humanely in fact fails these individuals routinely on a massive and unconscionable scale. TPCA was created to fight systemic and systematic mistreatment of the incarcerated and impacted family members in Texas by amplifying their voices.
Due to the public’s lack of awareness of the inhumane prison conditions and environmental hazards Texas’s incarcerated citizens face today, there has been little impetus for change. We believe that by shining a light on outmoded, false narratives that underlie the public’s misguided acceptance of these conditions, we are making our way to a much-needed paradigm shift. This shift will improve the entire system for both those incarcerated and impacted families, and in the long run, trigger a reduction in the use of mass incarceration resulting in the closure of many of Texas’s outmoded and unlivable prison facilities.
Through research and grassroots mobilization, we hold those in authority accountable to maintain safe and humane standards that promote incarcerated individuals’ well-being within all TDCJ facilities. We hope that our work here can be used as a model for effective change nationwide, one that treats incarcerated individuals and family members with dignity and respect.
This model includes:
1. Connecting individuals to information about inhumane prison conditions.
2. Helping to empower and educate the incarcerated and their family members in order for them to be effective self-advocates.
3. Increasing public awareness of unacceptable conditions within TDCJ facilities.
How We Create Change
We pursue this vision by:
Educating
Connecting people with credible information about prison conditions, justice policy, and the realities of incarceration through the voices of impacted people.
Empowering
Supporting incarcerated people and impacted families with the knowledge, resources, and tools to advocate for themselves and their loved ones.
Advocating
Working alongside communities, coalition partners, and policymakers to improve prison conditions, strengthen accountability, and advance lasting reform.
Mobilizing
Building a growing grassroots movement of volunteers, supporters, and advocates committed to creating a more humane justice system.
Our History
2015
Advocacy begins
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Dr. Amite Dominick begins advocating for safer conditions in Texas prisons.
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Launches efforts to establish a 65°–85°F temperature standard in all TDCJ facilities.
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Personal experience as an impacted family member inspires broader prison reform advocacy.
2018-2019
First air conditioning legislation introduced
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Co-authored the Texas House Bill 1971 to improve temperature standards in state prisons.
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The bill passed the Texas House with strong bipartisan support (123–18), marking a historic milestone for prison heat reform.
2021
Acquired nonprofit status
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TPCA is established as a nonprofit dedicated to improving prison conditions, supporting impacted families, and advancing evidence-based reform in Texas.
2022
Expanding our impact
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Expanded advocacy training, education, and direct support for impacted families and incarcerated individuals without outside support.
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Strengthened partnerships, research, and grassroots organizing to advance prison reform across Texas.
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Broadened TPCA's mission beyond extreme heat to address a wider range of inhumane prison conditions.
Research & Public Education
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Co-authored Extreme Temperatures and COVID-19 in Texas Prisons.
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Co-authored research examining air conditioning and heat-related mortality in Texas prisons.
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Partnered with researchers to document the health impacts of extreme heat in Texas prisons, helping bring incarcerated voices into academic research.
Building the Movement
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Developed advocacy campaigns to amplify directly impacted voices and reshape the public narrative around incarceration.
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Co-founded the CIRCOL Collective to strengthen collaboration across the prison advocacy movement.
2023
From advocacy to statewide influence
Legislative Advocacy
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Expanded legislative efforts, working with lawmakers to develop and advance multiple prison reform bills.
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Helped develop Air Conditioning HB 1708, which passed the Texas House with bipartisan support.
Direct Impact
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Distributed more than 4,000 cooling towels to indigent incarcerated individuals across Texas.
Community Programs
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Launched the Adopt a Community project to expand local engagement and advocacy.
2024
Building statewide momentum
Direct Support
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Launched the Cooling Towels initiative to provide heat relief for indigent incarcerated individuals during the Texas summer.
Coalition Growth
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Expanded partnerships with advocacy organizations, researchers, faith communities, and impacted families across Texas and beyond.
85 to Stay Alive
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Continued growing the 85 to Stay Alive campaign through public education, legislative advocacy, and coalition building.
Public Awareness
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Increased public engagement through events, webinars, educational resources, and community outreach.
2025
Strengthening advocacy and impact
Legislative Session
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Advanced prison reform priorities during the Texas legislative session.
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Continued advocating for humane prison conditions through policy recommendations and coalition efforts.
Organizational Growth
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Expanded volunteer leadership, organizational capacity, and statewide advocacy initiatives.
Direct Support
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Continued providing practical support and resources for incarcerated individuals and impacted families.
2026
Looking ahead
Expanding Our Reach
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Strengthening statewide advocacy through research, communications, and public education.
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Expanding the 85 to Stay Alive coalition to other states.
Building Sustainable Change
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Growing our volunteer network, partnerships, and fundraising to increase long-term impact.
A More Humane Texas
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Continuing to advocate for prison conditions that protect health, dignity, and human rights while supporting evidence-based justice reform.
It's time to build a justice system rooted in humanity, accountability, and dignity; one that recognizes the worth of every person.