Hi everyone!
Another year, another great milestone… and, of course, still a few challenges. We just wanted to share an important update on our mom’s case, especially for those of you who have been following our journey and showing us so much love and support.
It’s starting to feel like a pattern: every time something incredible happens, there’s always one last thing that tries to hold us back. But even with all the ups and downs, this past year brought some really hopeful news that we’re excited to share.
Last year, our mom was granted resentencing, which reduced her original sentence of 26 years to life down to 15 years to life. Then, in January of this year, something we’ve been praying for finally happened - she went to her parole board hearing and was found eligible for release.
There was not a single challenge to her release. It was acknowledged how rare and remarkable her growth has been; It was acknowledged that she is someone who has used her time to transform, who has shown what’s possible when people are given the opportunity to heal and grow; It was acknowledged that this is the kind of success story that our tax dollars helped support.
It felt like, finally, after so many years, after everything we’ve all been through as a family, there was light at the end of the tunnel.
But even after receiving the green light from the courts, the parole board, the District Attorney, the warden, and the Governor, my mom is still not home.
Right now, her release - and the release of many others - is being held up by a lawsuit challenging Proposition 57, a voter-approved law that was created to help safely reduce the prison population and reward rehabilitation.
Prop 57 allows the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to give “good conduct” and “rehabilitation” credits to people who are incarcerated. These credits can shorten someone’s time in prison if they’ve shown good behavior, taken educational classes, or completed self-help programs. It's important to note that credits are used to determine when someone with a life sentence is eligible for release, and only eligibility. No one with an indeterminate sentence is released until the Board of Parole Hearings determines that they do not pose an “unreasonable risk of danger to society if released from prison.” The goal of Prop 57 is to focus on rehabilitation, public safety, and giving people a real opportunity to change and come home sooner.
The lawsuit argues that CDCR shouldn’t be allowed to give people credit for things like good behavior, educational milestones, or program participation. If CDCR — the agency we fund and entrust with the authority to carry out justice and rehabilitation — is stripped of the authority to recognize earned progress, then who exactly has the power to make those decisions?
As kids, we were constantly told - by people in the system, by adults we trusted - that if our mom worked hard, if she changed, if she stayed out of trouble and completed programs, then her time could be reduced. That was the comfort we were given as kids. It gave us something to hold onto, to believe in.
And now, after all these years, after she did everything she was told to do - after she actually made it - it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under us. We were promised that effort, growth, and accountability mattered. But now that she’s reached the finish line, we’re being told to wait again… not because of anything she did, but because of a lawsuit that has nothing to do with her or her journey.
Thankfully, there’s still hope. Assemblymember Ash Kalra has introduced AB 622, a bill clarifying that people found suitable for parole must not be denied release because of pending lawsuits against CDCR's authority to award earned credits under Proposition 57. It essentially separates parole decisions from credit related legal disputes, making sure that people who are approved for release by the parole board, the District Attorney, and the Governor can still go home even while credit systems are being challenged in court. In short AB 622 protects people like my mom who've already been found eligible for release from being stuck in limbo just because of legal arguments over CDCR's credit system.
It’s expected to be voted on later this summer. IF all goes well, it will take effect January 2026. Without this bill, we are looking at a January 2027 release date.
How You Can Help:
If you live in California, please consider reaching out to your Assemblymember and asking them to support AB 622. You can mention our mom’s case — [Shajia Ayobi] — as an example of someone who has done everything right, who has been recognized by every system as ready to come home, but who is still waiting because of something completely out of her control.
Your support, compassion, and voices truly matter. Thank you for standing with us through all of this.
With love and hope,
Ayobi Siblings
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