I have been incarcerated since June 2014. After receiving my sentence, I descended into a real dark place, somewhere I pray to never return. Not behavior, but statistics, not actions require the Department of Corrections to send me to one of Virginias highest security prisons. I became a recluse and attempted to shout out and ignore reality but quickly discovered the flaw of this poor coping technique the hard way.
Since then, my life has changed dramatically, and I have become a better person for it. Upon discovering that my high school diploma was not recognized, I enrolled in school in 2016. Around the same time, I emersed myself in the enigmatic world of Virginia Law. I earned my G.E.D in 2019 and in 2022 I graduated from Blackstone Career institutes para legal course with honors (while on a COVID quarantine)!
Currently I work as a teacher aid, helping those who seek to earn their GED, while simultaneously serving as the Secretary of our Veteran’s group, all while working on legal challenges to my sentence. I have also become active in my religions service. I attribute all of my personal growth to the path I walk and would not trade my experiences for anything.
I can count on one hand the individuals who still maintain relations with me in the free world, all of whom are family- everyone else already having moved on. This experience has driven me to be more outgoing than I had been, as I have discovered the paradox of feeling alone in the Sea of humanity. Needless to say, mental health has been a constant battle for me but knowing that mental health Is a state of mind, I choose to view life from the “Glass half full” perspective because negativity is too easy and common place.
My favorite literacy work would be East of Eden by John Steinbeck, although I don’t read as much as I used to, as I prefer to read something I can learn from. I also watch more TV than I care to admit, and my taste there is as eclectic as my taste in music. I enjoy watching comedy, drama, and some reality; my taste in music is quite really all over the spectrum. In the free world, I loved being outside, even if all it meant was driving around aimlessly to end up at Panda Express.
In my free time, I both play and run table-top role-playing games. I’ve discovered that these games are the best form of escapism because not only is it cheaper than supporting a drug habit, it comes with none of a drug habits negative consequences, and also helps to build community and camaraderie, and teaches social skills, all of which I have found to be lacking in prison.
Educating the free world about the complexities of our judicial system is something I really care about. Often those involved for the first time find themselves blindsided by the complexities and end up making poor choices, but there is plenty of room for the entire system to change, which is why I am also passionate about judicial and prison reform.
The one thing I enjoy about myself the most is cooking. It is the one joy in life that wasn’t taken from me in 2014. I’m always finding new ways to make familiar dishes with only a microwave.
Please note: This service gives you the opportunity to send your first message to a new pen pal, free of charge. If you send more than one message to the same inmate, or a message to someone you already know, they will not be forwarded.
When you send a message using this form, our staff will print and mail it via US Mail or forward it via the prison’s email system, every two weeks. Be patient, and don’t expect an immediate reply. Inmates can’t email you back directly, so include your full name, email address, and complete mailing address or phone number for a reply. Messages without valid contact info won’t be forwarded, nor will messages with threatening or abusive language.
Want to message directly and more quickly? Check the inmate’s profile to see which email service he or she uses (i.e. GettingOut, JPay, Securus). These services cost between 5 to 50 cents per message and offer you the ability to message them directly and instantly.
