Lincoln woman once in prison uses her ‘limitless possibility’ to help other former inmates

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A Lincoln woman is using her past to create a better future for others.

Since Tessa Domingus was released from prison, she’s taken on the role of helping inmates succeed after prison.

From the start, her life was troubled.

Her father was in prison, and she struggled with mental health.

At age 15, Domingus found herself in the hospital because of severe substance abuse.

And that was just the beginning of a hard path.

“Eventually, it cost me everything,” Domingus said. “I had nothing by the end. I was homeless, I lost my children, I didn’t have a job, and I was being sentenced on felony charges.”

But in prison, Domingus found hope.

She learned better ways to handle her addiction. And by the time she was released, she had a new vision for her life.

But when Domingus was out, she was still unfulfilled.

So she called the Mental Health Association of Nebraska. That conversation began Domingus’ passion.

She has been working for the association ever since.

Her job now focuses on housing former inmates.

The association has two homes in Lincoln for felons, but Domingus said they don’t just give people a place to stay.

They also help build community and give people a stable environment while they look for a job and work to repair relationships.

But Domingus said there’s still a stigma around this kind of housing.

“We see a lot of that ‘not in our backyard’ mentality,” she said.

Domingus hopes people see that this is the best way to help former inmates succeed.

“Imagine being labeled or branded for the worst mistake you ever made in your life for the rest of your life,” she said. “Because that’s how a felony is attached to a person, for the rest of their life. We need more support in the community to give individuals a second chance because if it wasn’t for my second chances, I wouldn’t be here, sitting where I am today. And we all have that limitless possibility.”

In the years since her release, Domingus has regained custody of her kids, has remarried and is studying law.

Within the Mental Health Association, she is working to expand services to Omaha for former inmate housing.