Skip to main content
Introducing

Whitney, 33

Incarcerated:
3 years
Housed:
McPherson Unit
Located in
Newport, Arkansas
A smiling woman with glasses and a blue top, wearing a name tag that reads 'Gina', takes a selfie in a hallway.
May 31, 2023June 30th, 20252 min read

I was on drugs and alcohol which led me to a fatal mistake. I started hearing voices and seeing things that weren’t there.

I was on drugs and alcohol which led me to a fatal mistake. I started hearing voices and seeing things that weren’t there. Some things seemed real, like the TV began to talk. I was going back and forth between men. All of my relationships were raunchy. I was so lost and caught up in sex and drugs, that I couldn’t see what was happening. I was so ashamed and hurt by my actions that I tried to commit suicide. One day my old case worker asked if I would like to try and talk to my kids. I said no, I was sure they didn’t want to speak to me. I have four kids and one is deceased. My oldest was upset with me for a while. The other two were not upset as much. I look back with regret everyday on the choices I made. I’m still talking to my kids. It’s been rough for all of us. I can’t sleep at night sometimes because I question myself. The guilt consumes me. After I came to prison I got my GED. I didn’t think I could do it. That’s the way I’ve felt all my life,  like I couldn’t accomplish anything. I love to write poetry about how I feel. God has changed my life and is still working on me. I look at these prison walls and think this is what I left my kids for. I miss being around them so much. They are so smart and funny.

A smiling woman with glasses and a blue top, wearing a name tag that reads 'Gina', takes a selfie in a hallway.
A woman with red hair and glasses making a playful face next to a man in front of a white building.
Close-up of a woman with glasses and a gold hoop earring making a playful face.
A smiling woman with glasses and a striped shirt sitting in a car, looking at the camera.
A low-angle shot of a man with a beard and a woman with glasses and a red headscarf.
A woman wearing glasses and a black head covering looks directly at the camera under a large, tree-like structure.
A woman with glasses and a patterned dress stands outdoors in front of a brick building.
A young person with glasses resting their head on their arm, wearing a camouflage shirt.
Two people wearing pink hats in a brightly lit indoor space.
A woman with glasses holding a blue and white cupcake.

Tags:

📬

These stories arrive by mail.

Every month, a physical envelope arrives at your door, postmarked from San Quentin Village, California. Inside, you will find original artwork, writing, and recipes from real contributors, along with a personal letter from me, Diane Kahn, founder of Humans of San Quentin, about the people who made them. You read it. You keep it.

Every piece comes from someone serving a sentence. Every piece reminds you they are so much more than that.

📬 Join the Mail Club

Leave a Reply

Receive more inspiring stories and news from incarcerated people around the world.