I was a lost soul who didn’t know how to love myself growing up. I took the wrong path. I didn’t finish school & started meeting hard-core men who were drug dealers. You can imagine how my life spiraled. I was a young teen mom at 15. Working in a small Chinese restaurant for $2.50/hr was not going to feed my newborn. I did what needed to be done. Coming from an Asian culture, there wasn’t much you could say to justify yourself, so I rebelled against all rules. At the age of 16, I got my first break delivering packages through the mailbox. I started transporting small weight & ammunition. Not long after that, I was using my own supplies.
Moving forward, my incarceration now has taught me so much about myself that I never knew. I do know that my passion for singing & cooking has always been there. I’ve learned to understand the real meaning of “LOVE”. It’s not far, it’s been with us all along. You just have to look inside yourself. Now serving a 210 month sentence, I may not be free in the “physical realm” but I am free in SPIRIT for the first time in my life. Above all, I found GOD. The love of Christ has carried me through my storm. After my first year in prison, I started my GED, took parenting classes, NRDAP (Drug Awareness), & Trauma in Life. While all this was taking place, I started working in the Officer’s dining room which gave me the opportunity to receive a SERVSAFE handling license. I was hoping to reach for an apprenticeship but I left food service to be in Trust fund (Laundry Dept..) as a seamstress which is also something I never thought I would learn. I officially received my GED at the age of 42 which by the way math was my toughest subject.
Currently I am one of the mentors for the Peer Support Group. I make my time worth it on a daily basis. I go to church on my free time & stay active in this small community; what I call, “The Dome”. With all that I’ve learned from here, I’m hoping to one day reach out to others & make a difference in other peoples lives. Being able to help is a choice. I strive to re-establish my relationship with my family. My mother, sisters & daughters are my EVERYTHING. I want to walk out of these prison walls being the woman I was meant to be. Full of love, full of joy, but most of all, being ENOUGH.
Upon my re-entry, I want to become an Entrepreneur/Restaurateur. I want to start with my passion for food culture. “Asian Fusion”. Start with a small business & maybe one day expand into a franchise. With my heart full of hope, anything is possible. I just have to manifest it & believe that I’m already there. Mistakes are meant for learning, not repeating.
