2023 Identity 2 Exhibition

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Before incarceration, I saw myself as a caregiver and a loving and present mom. My passion was my nursing career and helping people, and also spending time with my family, who always made me feel loved and that my life had worth, especially my grandparents. After my incarceration, my family has continued to love and support me but due to the trauma I experienced and then going to prison, I had a hard time seeing my worth. My identity because OID #238357 - an inmate, an offender, a prisoner. During my twelve years of incarceration, what I’ve come to realize is that the strong, hard-working, loving, kind, God-fearing, family oriented foundation that my identity was built on is still there and I want to acknowledge my grandma (Granny K), who passed during my incarceration for instilling that in me. I could always count on her to support and encourage my relationship with God, which I will be eternally grateful for because with my renewed relationship with Jesus Christ, I’ve been able to step into the light again and see that I’m enough, I am loved and that my life still has worth.