Writer

I had a huge awakening. I was looking at this grown woman in dark blue prison scrubs, these convicted criminals, villains, that I had a bias against, and thought, this is about multiple generations of a family in crisis. This problem is so much bigger than I initially understood.

I felt like the whole world had just opened up before me and that everything was locked into place inside me.

In preparing this talk, I've come face to face with my prison.

It is only when you can name your prison that you can do the terrifying, but life affirming and necessary work of setting yourself free.

I was in this windowless classroom, down a windowless hallway, I had walked through four heavy steel doors that buzzed open and closed, yet I felt liberated.

I went into prison thinking that it was my job to inspire these women, but what it turns out to be is that these women are inspiring me to get out of my prison.

What I'm doing right now feels so natural. It feels so good. It's like I'm right where I'm supposed to be.

It's only when you can name your prison that you can do the terrifying but life-affirming and necessary work of setting yourself free.