Essence Burd

Women FIRST Clinic

Essence Edwards-Burd is a teacher for Operation Restoration’s Women FIRST Clinic, where she is responsible for providing academic instruction for formerly incarcerated women who need academic skills remediation.

Originally from Los Angeles, Essence ventured to Louisiana to pursue higher education. She graduated from Grambling State University, where she also met her husband, and she is a proud fifth generation HBCU graduate. Essence went on to complete her master’s degree at Colorado Technical Institute and is currently obtaining her second master’s degree in curriculum instruction from Xavier University of Louisiana.

As a mother of three, Essence prioritized raising her children before she began her career. With a background in both education and social services, she has a passion for advocating on behalf of marginalized communities. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with my family, traveling and making organic bathing products.