I came to prison when I was 18 for violence. I’m 45 now, and I’ve decided I will no longer be violent.
My mother had me when she was 20 years old. She was a caregiver and a school bus driver. My dad was in and out of my life, and when he was around, he was violent toward my mother and me. Eventually, my mother started using drugs, and my father did too. Things got worse as I grew up in a violent home and neighborhood. As I lost family and friends to violence, I started to believe that’s just how life is. I came to prison when I was 18 for violence. I’m 45 now, and I’ve decided I will no longer be violent. After 27 years, I’ve kept my promise to myself. For the last 6 years, I haven’t been in a fight or anything like that. I’m not perfect—I still have my issues due to my trauma—but I believe we all can change. I will always share my story with anyone who wants to know how I changed. It’s all about having humanity and kindness for one another.
