LaShae, 35

Meet LaShae…

No one cared about me and the hollowness I felt. No one cared to stop and listen to my story. No one cared because I am an African American woman who was treated unjustly.

LaShae, 35

Incarcerated: 4 years

Housed: Jean Conservation Camp, Jean, Nevada

I am a veteran who proudly diligently served this country for over five  years. I am an African American woman who is unjustly imprisoned for a heinous crime I did not commit. I want you to hear my plea, listen to the tragedy that unfolded in my life and to implore you to hear my story.

When I was medically separated from the Army I went through my own personal trauma but I refused to allow my own pain to conflict with my desire to provide assistance to others. I worked long hours so others could spend time with their families. I helped friends and neighbors financially so they could provide for their children and when I separated from my ex I still try to help provide for my ex and her kids. Despite my own health concerns I gave from my heart to those in need and helped others as much as I could.

My plea of not guilty fell on deaf ears. No one cared about me and the hollowness I felt. No one cared to stop and listen to my story. No one cared because I am an African American woman who was treated unjustly. I was committed to a sentence of 8-20 years although I am appealing my case. My life and the police records are an open book for anyone to read. I want to share my story because this is unfair. There are people in prison who have committed murder and are serving less time. People who sell drugs to children, run from and attack the police, who are serving less time. Yes I have a victim. I have no contact and I pray everyday. I would never put anyone or child through what I have been through. I want to expose a small sliver of the corruption within the Nevada judicial system. 

My sincere desire is to share my story with you.

Elizabeth, 53

Meet Elizabeth…

The majority, like myself, sit around all day and do nothing. Most of us don’t qualify for the two or three classes offered.

While most states across the country seek to reduce prison numbers, I believe the Nevada Department of Corrections are instilled in warehousing individuals. Assembly Bill 125, Amendment 1412, which passed the Assembly Committee but died in the Senate would have alleviated the Nevada prisons of warehousing low level, non violent inmates who were model inmates with no write ups.

Currently my prison, FMWCC, houses over 900 women. It is estimated that only about half – 350 actually work, attend educational classes, programs or  a drug rehabilitation program called STARS. The majority, like myself, sit around all day and do nothing. Most of us don’t qualify for the two or three classes offered. In addition five days per month is being added to individual sentences due to non attendance of classes, programs or STARTS and there is absolutely nothing I or any inmate can do to stop the practice.

Jean Conservation Camp, which used to provide workers for city projects and fire season, is now just another location for women to sit and do nothing all day.

 

Erin, 52

Meet Erin…

Prison is not the end. It’s actually the place where I was set free.

 

I grew up in a Seventh-Day adventist church and attended Seventh-Day Adventist school into college. Prison was never on my radar or a place that I would spend a life without parole sentence as (far as “man” says). I did stray so far away from God and completely silenced the voice of the Holy Spirit. I made choices that I did not believe I was capable of making and 21 years later, I find myself in the only women’s prison in Nevada.

God has my attention and I realize “inside” or “outside” I have a job to share the love of Jesus with everyone that I meet. I have the gift of encouragement, letting others know that there is nothing that you or I can do that will make Jesus fall out of love with us. Some people believe that they have done too much damage and their family has walked away, therefore, God must have given up on them. This is where God receives the glory, I say this is not true. Let me tell you my story and testimony.  By the time I’m done, people I have shared my story with have tears running down their face, they say “If God can do it for you, then He can do it for me.”

There are so many of us that have served a good amount of time. It is so important to always remember where God picked us up at and even though many years have gone by and we look like we have it together and we are all cleaned up, it’s detrimental to never forget our condition at one point and extend a hand to someone who is behind us on the same journey and encourage them and be “real” and say “we are more alike than you think”. There is healing in knowing that we are not the only ones who have ever done something we never imagined we could or would do.

Prison is not the end. It’s actually the place where I was set free.

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