3-19-2016

Being Passionate Is A Must: How To Create Your Own Movement

Bringing equality to the table is important to me. In all scenarios it is necessary. I can't think of one case where inequality is going to work. With that in mind I want to make sure that wherever, whenever possible that everyone who is experiencing forms of injustice can have the courage to change their circumstances. 
I want to explain what I have done to get my facility to take notice of my cause, which is LGBTQ equality. First, I had to fill a void in my life. I was broken and alone. So I attempted to reach out and no matter how many times I wrote other organizations or got on pen pal sites or wrote my little heart out to others, I got nothing. I had to know what I wanted. What I wanted was support. Knowing that, I moved forward. Next, I got as many staff members involved in my struggle as possible. I went to my mental health counselor and then I went to my Sargent and my CUS, then I started explaining my need for LGBT interaction and my suffering to anyone who would listen. 
I didn't just complain though, I offered solutions to what would fix my loneliness. In my case a LGBTQ Peer Support Group that was offered by the facility would alleviate many emotional problems because then I could talk to peers, or people that understood my mindset. Next, I prayed. I know that many of you out there aren't religious. However, in my case I am and I follow Jesus Christ unashamedly and He is a big part of my decision making process now...SO I prayed. I made sure that God was in this process and that I was in compliance with His will.
Then I wrote a proposal detailing my problem and how a weekly group therapy setting led by inmates would solve those problems and what the prison stood to gain from such a thing. In this case, if the men that I am mentoring find themselves and become more self-confident and aware, they are more likely to lower their recidivism rates and be better, law abiding inmates as well. Making us better equipped to do the right thing is always in the best interest of the state...period.
Then, I had passion. I fully committed to my group. I hold myself to a higher standard and don't allow myself to deviate from that. I won't have sex while in prison, I don't date and I don't pretend to either. I am celibate and will remain that way until I can have an appropriate relationship with a man that is going to be healthy with me. That's that. So I have passion and zeal. I won't let it go and whatever you cause is be prepared that it is going to be challenged and ignored. It will be thrown away and dismissed and those around you will tell you that it isn't possible and that it isn't worth all the heartache. They will tell you that they admire your willingness to try, but that you will fail "I hope you don't, but they will never allow you to do this."
Then there are those who thrive on racism and bigotry. These are typically the Special Threat Groups, or prison gangs. They stand to lose the most by equality. If equality and justice prevails, then their entire empire fails. That's a fact. Those who lie hate those who are crushed by it. Well, those of us who are oppressed and forsaken by those who are stronger then us are crushed by hatred only when we allow it to. We can combat it with justice and righteousness, not stopping to their level and forming a prison gang of our own. What we do is force the issue. Get as many people involved as possible and don't accept anything less than what is fair and right.
When you have a cause whether it's #blacklivesmatter or gay lives matter or something that is equally as important to the furtherance of our society as a whole, things like ending racial inequality. Have passion and live as if this is possible. Have optimism and think about it every day in every conversation and every single morning wake up and think about what it will look like exactly. Know every detail.