Hello. My name is Terri. I'm incarcerated in Muncy, Pennsylvania and have been for over 31 of the 33 ¾ years I've been down. I'm from Philadelphia, and I have been incarcerated since shortly after turning 22 years old.
A day in prison begins with coffee and ends with watching the news. In between, I go to structured exercise classes and any appointment(s) I'm scheduled for. All my mornings are busy, but I find time to go to the yard to see friends I don't live in a unit with. As a Certified Peer Specialist, there are times I’m called upon to help someone through a crisis. Having accumulated thousands of hours in the school, there isn't much to do there, except keep trying to get into one of the Inside Out college classes or ask for outside help to pay out of pocket for an educational opportunity. It's a member of our inmate organization, so sometimes those meetings are added to my days. I make cards and cross stitch on weekends and prior to birthdays and holidays.
My greatest personal challenge inside is experiencing loss and having to bear that emotional upheaval all alone. My family are always connected, but they're not physically present, which creates a disconnect that grief thrives on.
Right now, I'm dealing with not being there for my niece that was born two weeks ago and having to wait on a couple of levels of paperwork to be completed, before I can see her in person. The virtual (Zoom) visits are a Blessing, but they are quite prohibitive.
Adjusting to this sentence and how lifers are disregarded on many levels and occasions was not made easy by blatant disrespect and belittling by these officers plucked from this rural area, who often have no experience dealing with different races and cultural differences. Once I got my internal anger under control, it became easier to combat their ignorance with my intelligence and positive outlook for tomorrow.
The important people in my life are all of those I share bloodlines with and the family/core I've created with peers, penpals and advocates, because they're the ones motivating, encouraging and helping me live. They neither hesitate to tell me about myself, nor fall short of being supportive in every way. Their existence is the air that allows me to continue to breathe, and I couldn't be more Blessed.
In this year, please be mindful of all the changes we'll have and all the challenges that'll follow and be ready to stand through it all. Fight until there is no time left on the clock!
Be Blessed!
Peace, Light & Solidarity,
Terri
