Stories of Healing

Take a Chance on Yourself

Take a Chance on Yourself

I came from a place of deep darkness. Things felt hopeless. I felt hopeless. Violence surrounded me in my home and outside the house. The feeling of oppression kept me down so that I couldn't move. I finally exploded in violence, landed in prison, and rightly so. By...

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True Narrative

True Narrative

As children sometimes we were taught by people that were broken themselves. So we adopted their ways and narratives that were not truly our own. Being told I was worthless, stupid, that I would always be a failure left me believing I was. I believed it and it...

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What a Boy Wants

What a Boy Wants

I just wanted to be like him. I spent many years trying to imitate my father. I would wear his fatigues around the house and hammer nails into pieces of wood because he was a construction worker. Unfortunately, my father was an alcoholic, and a drug addict. He never...

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Holding On

Holding On

Growing up I wasn't taught self-value or self-worth. I saw myself as someone the world could do without. I had no hope, and a person who has no hope, has nothing to lose. Still, I have no excuse for hurting others. I was wrong. And not only did I hurt my victim...

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Story of Pain

Story of Pain

Losing my brother to gun violence while in prison has been the hardest and most challenging thing I've ever had to do. Usually I know all the right words to say, but my constant crying, the insurmountable pain, and the distance from my family make words hard to find....

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The Story of Jeffery Garrett

The Story of Jeffery Garrett

Jeffery A. Garrett T-15166 / DI 7-205-IL P.O. Box 409089 Ione, CA 95640 March 18, 2025 Since my incarceration, I have invested my time into my rehabilitation and recovery. I came to understand that my pain was driving my bad decisions and I needed to change. I regret...

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The Story of Dortell Williams

The Story of Dortell Williams

Dortell Williams H45771 / D17-B203-3L P.O. Box 409089 Ione, 95640 March 13, 2025 As incarcerated people, our turning points are as diverse as mainstream America. For some, it was the death of a loved one and perhaps a vow to the deceased, or the murder of a family...

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