art by Rosa Perin
Story as told to Lynne Miller
When I was locked up, I left my son with family, but he was removed from their home because of neglect. It was two months before I found out where my son was. It was four months until I heard his voice again. In prison, most of the time there’s no one to help you with a child welfare case. If you don’t know your rights, … Read More
Translated from Spanish.
Two years after my son was born, I decided I couldn’t continue my relationship with his father and we separated. I was sad and confused, but Rene and I were arguing all the time and I knew ending it would be the best for my son and me. I said to myself, “Don’t confuse a fear of loneliness with love.”
It was one of the most difficult moments in my life, especially … Read More
art by Karolina Zaniesienko
When my daughter was 12, she was kidnapped and sexually assaulted. She went through the trauma of being raped and left to die. This had a devastating impact on her life and mine. She is only now, 15 years later, beginning to heal.
It happened one morning when I left home early to go to a job interview and my children, Pilar and Maurice, were late getting ready for school. Maurice … Read More
In the village of my childhood in Transylvania, Romania, we had sezatori, gatherings of young women who would work together on their trousseaux during white snow winters. Girls gathered in candle-lit rooms and worked together, crocheting fine lace, spinning wool. They would embroider white blouses with white silk thread. Can you imagine? White on white in candlelight.
It was a world of women. In my remembrance it was a warm, safe, cocoon … Read More
On December 8, 2000, my 15-year-old son was discharged into my custody after spending a long time in a residential treatment center. I thought everything would be good. I had wanted him to come home for so long. But his anger soon overwhelmed me.
My children were taken from me when my son was 5, because of my drug addiction. In foster care, Luis’ anger just grew and grew. He was angry at the system because … Read More
