My goal has always been to build ourselves up, educate ourselves, and find joy and peace without relying on a failed system of injustice to provide any relief.
I spent 34 years hiding the fact that I was gay. The crimes that brought me to prison were rooted in my conflict with my sexuality. I grew up in the Bible Belt South with strong Christian parents, so being gay was not something I could acknowledge or accept. Since coming to prison, I’ve accepted my identity and I’ve still maintained my faith and belief in God. I’ve spent my years writing about the things I see behind the razor wire and concrete. I give until I’m down to two bucks and unite monthly vehicles for magazines that promote social justice. My goal has always been to build ourselves up, educate ourselves, and find joy and peace without relying on a failed system of injustice to provide any relief. That false belief that the very system set up to rehabilitate and educate us actually will, is a crippling illusion that leaves us wasted away and waiting for a freedom that may or may not exist. All my family have passed on. My chosen family is made up of insiders and the people I’ve met along my journey. Building community wherever you are is what provides real comfort, safety, and happiness.
