Hey there,
My name is Ashley. I'm a 34 year old author, podcast host, and the daughter of a former prisoner. Is it weird for me to just come out and say that? You may feel like it is, but my experience is more common than you think. I used to think it was just me too. Then I started talking about growing up with a parent in prison, and found out very quickly I was not alone. Eventually, I wrote a book, a memoir called Somebody’s Daughter, touching on the story of my childhood. I received more messages about that book than anything else I’ve ever done.
Because there are approximately 2 million people locked up in United States prisons at any given time, I know there are many of us who have known and loved an incarcerated person. I also know we have stories about our varied experiences, stories we believe few care to listen to, and even fewer care to do anything about. And yet, there are more of us every day. About 1 out of every 12 American children (5.7 million) under the age of 18 have had an incarcerated parent at some point during their childhood.
Those children are growing up not knowing the sound of a parent's voice because their family can't afford the phone calls to stay connected. More spouses and partners left behind to raise families on their own. More communities sheathed in the shadow of their missing neighbors, and even more individuals condemned to a future that marks them as impoverished and unfit to maintain dignity in our society. There are so many stories to tell, and mine is only one.
Who We Belong To is an interview series meant to capture and highlight conversations with people who love a person who is currently or formerly incarcerated, researchers and activists who study (and fight) the effects of incarceration, and individuals who are or have been locked up. There is so much they have to say, and I have so many questions.
There will also be posts here highlighting resources, like The Sentencing Project, for those who want to learn more about the carceral state, as well as open comments following each post for subscribers. The subscription payouts from this publication will go to organizations offering direct assistance to prison populations in The United States, and those affected by the incarceration of loved ones. For the first month, I and my team will choose the organizations, but we are open to your suggestions for future giving. There will be more information on that soon.
Thank you so much for joining us here. And try to remember, we belong to each other.
