"People don't see prison as a woman's issue. They also don't see the oppression that women experience in prison and that women experience as leaders of criminal justice reform. I was in prison from 18-23 years of age. If I hadn't had this experience I may not have found my strength. I don't regret going to prison, because of prison I am going to change the world." - Kayla Gerdes is an advocate with LifetoLife LLC and a council member of the National Council For Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls. Kayla is also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.
Donna Hylton
"If I weren't a woman I wouldn't have been raped as many times as I have. I would have been a handsome man instead of pretty woman who was objectified and abused." - Donna Hylton served 27 years in prison and now is a community health advocate and founder of From Life To Life LLC.
Andrea James
"All of my children are 13 years apart. The first was born when I was 19, the next one at 32 and then the last one at 45. In 2009 I was sentenced to serve 24 months in a Federal Prison. It was horrible, I wasn't there for my babies." Andrea James is the founder of Families for Justice as Healing and the author of "Upper Bunkies".