Johana Bahamon is a Colombian actress and entrepreneur who founded Fundacion Accion Interna in 2012. The foundation works to improve the lives of people in prison and those who have been released, and to support their reintegration into society. In her conversation with ColombiaOne, Bahamon spoke about how creating second chances has transformed not only the lives of people in prison, but also her own. She shared the foundation’s mission, a proposed legislative initiative, and personal stories that show what it can mean to begin again.
At the heart of Accion Interna’s mission is the belief that a prison sentence should not define a person forever. Women and men in prison have histories, relationships, and hopes for the future. Yet, after serving their sentences — or while preparing to return to society — they can face rejection and limited opportunities. For Bahamon, a second chance must mean more than a kind sentiment. It requires practical support and a viable path forward.
A path to reintegration with dignity
Bahamón and her team work to encourage a broader view of people in prison: one that recognizes their circumstances and potential, rather than defining them only by the actions that led to their incarceration. Their work points to a difficult question: What happens when someone is ready to rebuild a life but finds few opportunities and little support?
The answer, Bahamon suggested, cannot rest on individual determination alone. Reintegration also depends on whether people can access the support and opportunities that make a new beginning possible. This is why Acción Interna is promoting a new legislative initiative to involve the state in that process.
Alongside the Second Chances Law, Bahamon spoke about a proposal that would give public institutions a role in supporting women in prison and those preparing to return to society. The aim is to help create a viable route to reintegration, so that dignity and opportunity do not depend only on each woman’s resilience or the goodwill of the people around her. The initiative reflects the foundation’s broader purpose: helping turn the idea of a second chance into a real possibility.
Camilo and Jose open up to share their personal story and journey with Fundacion Accion Interna
Fundación Acción Interna also welcomed ColombiaOne to hear firsthand from Camilo and Jose, two men whose lives have been transformed and who now work alongside Bahamon. Their experiences brought another dimension to the conversation: The long path through incarceration, the importance of family, and the hope that people can build a different future.
Camilo said he served a 14-year sentence at La Picota prison in Bogota. Without going into detail, he described facing a system in which, in his experience, people’s rights and due process could be overlooked. He also spoke personally about the pain of being incarcerated far from his family and children. Even with their support and regular visits, the separation was difficult.
Through that period, Camilo said, his family became his greatest motivation and strength, especially during the moments when he felt there was no light. Today, he works alongside Johana Bahamón at Acción Interna. His story reflects how family ties can sustain a person through a difficult chapter, while the opportunity to work and contribute can help make a new chapter possible.
Jose, who now works for the foundation, shared a different but closely connected experience. He is accompanying his wife, who is currently deprived of her liberty, as she moves through her own process of second chances. He holds on to the hope and the certainty, as he expressed it, that she will soon regain her freedom as a transformed woman.
For Jose, Accion Interna has become a source of support and what he describes as a great blessing in their lives. His testimony shows that incarceration reaches beyond the person serving time. It affects partners and families, who also face uncertainty and need support as they imagine a future together.
Johana’s especial Bond with Clari and Evelyn, a story worth sharing
The personal impact of Bahamon’s work came into focus when she spoke about Clari, a woman in prison with whom she formed a close bond. When Clari’s daughter, Evelyn, was only a few months old, Bahamón took her in and cared for her for a time. That experience created a lasting connection. Today, Bahamón says Evelyn has two moms.
The phrase captures a story of care without erasing the bond between mother and daughter. Clari is Evelyn’s mother, and Bahamon’s care gave the child another source of love and support. Their story brings the larger themes of justice and reintegration into a deeply personal frame: A baby who needed care, a mother navigating a difficult period, and another woman who chose to stand beside them.
For Bahamón, getting to know people in prison has never been distant or abstract work. She told ColombiaOne that the process has had an emotional and personal impact on her and on those around her. The relationships she has built have shaped her understanding of trust, care, and the possibility of change. Recognizing that people can change does not mean overlooking responsibility; it means allowing room for a different future.
How second chances changed Bahamon’s Life
The experience has also expanded the meaning of family. The stories of Clari, Evelyn, Camilo, and Jose show how incarceration touches relationships and how support can take many forms: A family’s regular visits, a partner’s steady hope, or the care given to a child. These bonds do not erase the challenges people face, but they can help sustain them through difficult times.
That personal dimension helps explain why second chances matter to Bahamón beyond the work of a foundation. They are reflected in relationships, in the support that makes a new beginning possible, and in the belief that a person’s future can hold more than their past. The work has changed the lives of the people and families it touches, while also leaving a profound mark on Bahamon and her own circle.
Her conversation with ColombiaOne brought together the public and personal sides of the same mission. One is the effort to involve the state in creating a dignified path to reintegration for women in prison. The other is the experience of care and connection that shows what support can mean in people’s lives. Fundación Acción Interna works across both: Advocating for broader change while recognizing the individual stories behind every policy and statistic.
Bahamon described second chances as a shared responsibility involving public institutions, society, and the people who choose to stand alongside others. The testimonies of Camilo, José, and Clari reveal the human meaning behind that work. Sometimes, a new beginning needs a law that opens a door. Sometimes, it begins with a family’s faithful presence, a partner’s hope, or caring for a baby, and with the realization that love can give a child one more mom.