The Journey of Los Dahda (aka Loso Grandioso): From Trial to Triumph
When Terra Simmons stood before the Washington State Supreme Court, fighting for her right to take the bar exam, she had no idea that same tenacity would one day help her secure hundreds of millions in reentry funding.
I’ve hosted hundreds of conversations on Nightmare Success, but Terra’s story hit me differently. Here’s someone who faced every possible setback - addiction, incarceration, institutional barriers - and somehow turned each obstacle into fuel for her next breakthrough.
From Nursing Degree to 30-Month Sentence
Terra’s path wasn’t linear. She’d already overcome a childhood marked by parents struggling with addiction and getting kicked out of middle school. She fought her way back, earned her high school diploma, and even completed nursing school. But addiction doesn’t care about your accomplishments.
Her relapse led to a 30-month prison sentence, wiping away years of progress in what must have felt like an instant. I’ve talked to enough justice-impacted individuals to know that moment when everything you’ve built comes crashing down. It’s devastating. But for Terra, it became a turning point.
Taking on the Washington State Supreme Court
Most people would see prison as the end of professional dreams, especially in law. Terra saw it as preparation for what came next. After her release, she didn’t just get her law degree - she took on the entire legal establishment when they tried to block her from the bar exam.
The Washington State Bar initially refused to let her sit for the exam because of her criminal record. Instead of accepting defeat, Terra appealed directly to the state’s highest court. Think about that courage for a moment. A formerly incarcerated woman, challenging the very institution she wanted to join.
The Supreme Court ruled in her favor in just one day. One day. That tells you everything you need about the strength of her case and her character.
From Attorney to State Representative
Becoming a licensed attorney would be victory enough for most people. Terra was just getting started. She ran for state representative and won, bringing her lived experience directly into the halls of power where policy gets made.
This is where her story becomes even more powerful. Terra didn’t just secure a seat at the table - she used that seat to transform reentry support across Washington State. We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in funding that will impact countless lives. People who are walking out of prison today will have opportunities that didn’t exist before Terra fought for them.
As she told me, reflecting on her journey from those early setbacks to where she stands today, her experiences shaped every policy decision she makes. That childhood with addicted parents, getting kicked out of school, the relapse, the incarceration - all of it informs how she advocates for others facing similar challenges.
Creating Lasting Change
What moves me most about Terra’s story isn’t just her personal comeback. It’s how she’s used every piece of her experience to create systemic change. She’s not just surviving her past - she’s leveraging it to rewrite the future for others.
Today, Terra works as an attorney, serves as a state representative, speaks across the country, and authors work that continues spreading her message. But more than her titles, she’s become proof that the people closest to problems are closest to solutions.
Her story challenges every assumption about who deserves second chances and what’s possible when we remove barriers instead of creating them. When the bar association tried to keep her out, they weren’t just discriminating against Terra - they were depriving the legal profession and the community of someone who would go on to create transformational change.
Terra represents something bigger than individual success. She’s evidence that our criminal justice system fails when it focuses only on punishment instead of recognizing human potential for growth and contribution.