My trauma does not define me, it reminds me It reminds me of the sacred duty I have to heal my body, mind, and soul. It reminds me that those who harmed me are not responsible for my healing. That choice is mine. That right is mine. And that assignment -- tailor made...
I'm listening to "Dare to Lead," by Brené Brown. Areas I can improve on in her book are "armory, shame and empathy." I actually already check myself on these because they stem from traumatic experiences which are never addressed. And our community rarely addresses...
by Enako Jefferson As a Crime Survivor those who harm and been harmed are both doing time. This week I sat in a healing circle meant for crime survivors. But healing was interrupted by the guttural cries of a mother -- her son, she shared, is facing 480 years in...
by Delfino Muñiz I want to take you back to the 1970's in a small neighborhood in Compton, California. I was a barefoot kid running up and down the street, laughing with my friends, chasing the ice cream truck, not a care in the world. We were brown and black kids,...
Madonna Watson was a cherished friend and a resilient woman whose life was tragically cut short while incarcerated at the California Institution for women (CIW) in Chino, California. At CIW, Madonna faced systemic challenges that many incarcerated women endure,...
Jeffery A. Garrett T-15166 / DI 7-205-IL P.O. Box 409089 Ione, CA 95640 March 18, 2025 I suffered from countless adverse childhood experiences as a youth. I lived in a dysfunctional household which put me in constant fear, pain and shame due to domestic violence. My...
