2003 THAT IS WHEN MY LIFE BEGAN, ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO, I WAS SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON FOR THE MURDER OF MY FATHER. I WAS 23 YEARS OLD, AND VERY ANGRY AT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING, THERE WAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THIS WOULD BE THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME, NOR COULD I HAVE FORSEEN WHERE THIS JORNEY WOULD TAKE ME. NOW 15 YEARS IN I NOW KNOW THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE, SOME WILL SAY I AM CRAZY AND SOME ARE GOING TO SAY NOBODY CARES, BUT I KNOW WHAT I AM CALLED TO DO. WHAT DOES A MIDDLE AGED INMATE HAVE TO SAY THAT MEANS ANYTHING, WELL NOTHING REALLY ON MY OWN BUT TOGETHER WE WOMEN INCARCERATED HAVE ALOT TO SAY, WE KNOW ABOUT THE #METOO MOVEMENT , WE WANT TO SAY #USTOO, LET ALL WOMEN HAVE A VOICE TO SPEAK, SPEAK OUR TRUTH, FOR THE FIRST TIME, NOT JUST ABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT BUT ABOUT ALL THE INEQUALITY TOWARDS WOMEN, IN THE FREE WORLD AND IN THE INCARCERATED WORLD. WHY PEOPLE MAY ASK WHY CARE ABOUT THE INCARCERATED WOMEN, HERES WHY, 95% OF US WILL RETURN TO SOCIETY, AND OVER 70% OF THE INCARCERATED WOMEN HAVE BEEN ABUSED SEXUALLY IN SOME FORM, AND/OR A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. FACT: MEN WHO KILL THIER SPOUSE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RECEIVE LESS TIME THAN WOMEN WHO KILL THIER ABUSERS. WOMEN WHO HAVE TO SELL THIER BODIES TO TAKE CARE OF THIER FAMILIES ARE PUNISHED WITH LENGTHY PRISON TERMS, AND THEIR CHILDERN TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM. PLEASE FOLLOW THIS AMAZING JOURNEY AS WOMEN WHO HAVE NEVER HAD A VOICE FINALLY FIND THAT THEY MATTER TOO. JOIN OUR CONVERSATION AS WE ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS WITH RAW TRUTH, HOW, WHY AND WHAT GOT US TO THIS POINT AND WHAT CAN WE DO TOGETHER THAT TRUELY BRINGS RESTORATION TO FAMILIES, SOCIETY AND EACH OTHER. #USTOO
MICHELLE MARTIN
DOC #380689
Wow, powerful stuff.