This is a self published memoir of a woman who pulled herself out of a terrible situation and moved beyond it. She spoke to my book club recently and it is a remarkable story.
She came from a home where education was valued and she knew she would go to college, but her father was physically abusive, and she was molested by a cousin. So not as traumatic a childhood as some, but definitely far from perfect, and then there is the added burden that all people of color carry growing up.
She became involved with and married a man who was not just abusive and controlling but who also dealt drugs, and did so on occasion from their home. This put she and her young son in danger from the law and when he got arrested, so did she. The dynamics around power and control played out poorly for her, because her husband would not tell the FBI that she had nothing to do with his drug operation, and so she too went on trial. He court appointed attorney urged he to plead guilty and tkae a 10 year sentence rather than the 20 that she was at risk for, but she knew she could not appeal a guilty plea and so she took her chances in court. She emerged with an 8 year sentence, and then worked to get it reduced further. The most illuminating part of her jail story is that every woman there had been molested as a child. It should go without saying, but preventing childhood sexual abuse is crucial to preventing a lot of social as well as personal costs in the future. When she came out of prison she fought to get her life back, to be a contributing member of her community and make a difference in other at risk kids lives.
She is telling her story in order to help those who may be in similar situation may feel that prison marks them for life, that they cannot be successful after that, but for her it was really the beginning of living the life she had hoped for hersilf. An inspirational story.
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