Influential Woman · Reentry and Advocacy
Trina Selden
Founder/Executive Director, Out for Justice, Inc
Baltimore, MD 21201
Her Story
About Trina
Trina Selden is a mission-driven advocate, organizer, and nonprofit leader dedicated to advancing justice, opportunity, and self-determination for individuals impacted by the legal system. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Out For Justice, Inc., an organization built by and for impacted people that focuses on reentry support, leadership development, civic engagement, and systems change. Drawing on lived experience and more than two decades of advocacy work, she leads with a deep commitment to creating pathways for transformation and second chances.
Through her leadership at Out For Justice, Trina has guided the organization’s growth from a grassroots steering committee into a statewide entity that centers the voices of justice-impacted individuals. Her work includes coalition-building, program development, policy advocacy, and organizational leadership, with a focus on empowering members to become leaders in their own communities. She is known for cultivating inclusive, trust-based environments where individuals are supported through mentorship, resources, and opportunities to engage in meaningful civic and policy work.
Trina’s professional approach is grounded in authenticity, accountability, and a belief in the leadership potential of those directly affected by systemic inequities. She oversees organizational operations including strategic planning, budgeting, compliance, and staff development while continuing to advocate for criminal justice reform and reentry support systems. Her work reflects a consistent commitment to uplifting community voice, challenging structural barriers, and fostering long-term, sustainable change.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Trina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my determination and my capacity. I feel like my job is to help people. I feel like God put me in this role to do what I'm doing. I do not move without feeling like it's God telling me it's time to move, so I let him use me, and I'll let him lead.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
If you have the ability to dream it, then it can be so. You can make it happen. If you can dream it, you can achieve it.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering my industry to stay focused and stay on the mission. Don't give up. As daunting as it may seem, there is always a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Just keep going and just not give up. The biggest thing I would say is don't subscribe to the outside noise, just stay focused. I don't subscribe to the outside noise, I only listen to what God is telling me.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that there's not enough philanthropy to go around. I feel like this is important work that we're doing. I feel like it needs to be done, the system is flawed, and if we can fix it one law at a time, we should be funded to do so. I feel like the city should set aside a pot of money for different organizations in the state that's doing reentry work, so that people coming from incarceration do not have to face any barriers. We want to give them the best chance to be successful. As for opportunities, we have the opportunity to connect with a lot of marginalized community of folks. There's the problem, we have the solution, we're just not tapped into, our voices just aren't heard.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are my morals, my ethics, and accountability, which would be a big one. I hold them dear and have them posted on my wall. They include accountability, responsibility, centering equity in all of our work, learning and openness, boldness, resilience, having a heart, respecting who we work with, and community and teamwork.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Maryland
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.