you know one of the things that we talk about when we talk about children car
about when we talk about children car
about when we talk about children car Cerreta parents is generational
Cerreta parents is generational
Cerreta parents is generational incarceration that we have at times that
incarceration that we have at times that
incarceration that we have at times that I think I see I Graterford we have three
I think I see I Graterford we have three
I think I see I Graterford we have three or four generations in the same prison
or four generations in the same prison
or four generations in the same prison and that’s something none of us want but
and that’s something none of us want but
and that’s something none of us want but it’s also something that happens and you
it’s also something that happens and you
it’s also something that happens and you know you’ve probably heard this before
know you’ve probably heard this before
know you’ve probably heard this before but America has 5% of the world’s
but America has 5% of the world’s
but America has 5% of the world’s population but 25% of the world’s
population but 25% of the world’s
population but 25% of the world’s incarcerated population let me say it
incarcerated population let me say it
incarcerated population let me say it again 5% of the world’s population 25%
again 5% of the world’s population 25%
again 5% of the world’s population 25% of everyone who’s incarcerated there’s
of everyone who’s incarcerated there’s
of everyone who’s incarcerated there’s real implications of those policies that
real implications of those policies that
real implications of those policies that go beyond the people who are
go beyond the people who are
go beyond the people who are incarcerated and the only reason the
incarcerated and the only reason the
incarcerated and the only reason the only logical reason why we as a people
only logical reason why we as a people
only logical reason why we as a people we as a society as a free society think
we as a society as a free society think
we as a society as a free society think that’s okay and have allowed that to
that’s okay and have allowed that to
that’s okay and have allowed that to happen is because we’ve dehumanized
happen is because we’ve dehumanized
happen is because we’ve dehumanized individuals who are incarcerated and
individuals who are incarcerated and
individuals who are incarcerated and when we’re passing bad policy that
when we’re passing bad policy that
when we’re passing bad policy that affects them it’s easy to do that but
affects them it’s easy to do that but
affects them it’s easy to do that but when we start realizing that them is us
when we start realizing that them is us
when we start realizing that them is us then we got the start of something and
then we got the start of something and
then we got the start of something and that’s really one of the themes today
that’s really one of the themes today
that’s really one of the themes today it’s one of the themes one of the things
it’s one of the themes one of the things
it’s one of the themes one of the things we want you to take away is that when we
we want you to take away is that when we
we want you to take away is that when we talk about incarceration we’re not
talk about incarceration we’re not
talk about incarceration we’re not talking about some nebulous concept
talking about some nebulous concept
talking about some nebulous concept we’re talking about human beings human
we’re talking about human beings human
we’re talking about human beings human beings with feelings human beings with
beings with feelings human beings with
beings with feelings human beings with potential and I’m going to introduce one
potential and I’m going to introduce one
potential and I’m going to introduce one of those human beings to you right now
of those human beings to you right now
of those human beings to you right now who has a tremendous story it’s my honor
who has a tremendous story it’s my honor
who has a tremendous story it’s my honor to introduce sei Chester’s own Mathew
to introduce sei Chester’s own Mathew
to introduce sei Chester’s own Mathew Bowser
a reoccurring dream seems the lapse in
a reoccurring dream seems the lapse in reality a blurring moment of me becoming
reality a blurring moment of me becoming
reality a blurring moment of me becoming my mother the droning monotony of prison
my mother the droning monotony of prison
my mother the droning monotony of prison life flows by days become months months
life flows by days become months months
life flows by days become months months go and counted and somehow become years
go and counted and somehow become years
go and counted and somehow become years and so on and so forth a meandering
and so on and so forth a meandering
and so on and so forth a meandering moment of ultra awareness I hold my
moment of ultra awareness I hold my
moment of ultra awareness I hold my tracks confusing the inmates around me
tracks confusing the inmates around me
tracks confusing the inmates around me see this is 1200 hours this is time for
see this is 1200 hours this is time for
see this is 1200 hours this is time for mainline can’t you see we’re just moving
mainline can’t you see we’re just moving
mainline can’t you see we’re just moving cage to cage hesitant inmates walked by
cage to cage hesitant inmates walked by
cage to cage hesitant inmates walked by confused but not caring see 1200 hours
confused but not caring see 1200 hours
confused but not caring see 1200 hours it’s time for mainline I would like to
it’s time for mainline I would like to
it’s time for mainline I would like to say I don’t gamble but life has dealt me
say I don’t gamble but life has dealt me
say I don’t gamble but life has dealt me a crap hand and yet I still go all-in
a crap hand and yet I still go all-in
a crap hand and yet I still go all-in I’m the child an incarcerated parent 15
I’m the child an incarcerated parent 15
I’m the child an incarcerated parent 15 year old boy since the current squat his
year old boy since the current squat his
year old boy since the current squat his family calls home house cluttered with
family calls home house cluttered with
family calls home house cluttered with garbage the air thick with flies the
garbage the air thick with flies the
garbage the air thick with flies the odor of animal feces lingers fleas have
odor of animal feces lingers fleas have
odor of animal feces lingers fleas have infested the entirety of the home the
infested the entirety of the home the
infested the entirety of the home the boys been left in charge of his two
boys been left in charge of his two
boys been left in charge of his two younger brothers Nate year-old mentally
younger brothers Nate year-old mentally
younger brothers Nate year-old mentally challenged and a four-year-old introvert
challenged and a four-year-old introvert
challenged and a four-year-old introvert doesn’t speak due to his surroundings
doesn’t speak due to his surroundings
doesn’t speak due to his surroundings the mother has been gone for seven hours
the mother has been gone for seven hours
the mother has been gone for seven hours the children have been left alone to sit
the children have been left alone to sit
the children have been left alone to sit amongst the filth and a lone phone rings
amongst the filth and a lone phone rings
amongst the filth and a lone phone rings and rings
and rings
and rings and rings and see the boy
and rings and see the boy
and rings and see the boy even with his minimal life experience
even with his minimal life experience
even with his minimal life experience knows that the ominous ringing of that
knows that the ominous ringing of that
knows that the ominous ringing of that phone didn’t sound right something
phone didn’t sound right something
phone didn’t sound right something hidden in those short bursts of sound a
hidden in those short bursts of sound a
hidden in those short bursts of sound a lurking horrible news hello Matthew
lurking horrible news hello Matthew
lurking horrible news hello Matthew stern voiced echoed on the line yes a
stern voiced echoed on the line yes a
stern voiced echoed on the line yes a boys automatic hollow response this is
boys automatic hollow response this is
boys automatic hollow response this is trooper Davis calling to inform you that
trooper Davis calling to inform you that
trooper Davis calling to inform you that your mother has been arrested and we’re
your mother has been arrested and we’re
your mother has been arrested and we’re sending a car over the house to pick up
sending a car over the house to pick up
sending a car over the house to pick up you and your brothers hello Matthew
you and your brothers hello Matthew
you and your brothers hello Matthew Matthew are you there son a broken
Matthew are you there son a broken
Matthew are you there son a broken family now shatter on the rocks of a
family now shatter on the rocks of a
family now shatter on the rocks of a selfish mother’s addiction wave after
selfish mother’s addiction wave after
selfish mother’s addiction wave after wave crash the eight year old he
wave crash the eight year old he
wave crash the eight year old he traverses his way through piles of trash
traverses his way through piles of trash
traverses his way through piles of trash face smudge with dirt wearing a pair of
face smudge with dirt wearing a pair of
face smudge with dirt wearing a pair of broken bottle cap glasses he reaches his
broken bottle cap glasses he reaches his
broken bottle cap glasses he reaches his brother and tugs of the shorts Mattie
brother and tugs of the shorts Mattie
brother and tugs of the shorts Mattie where’s mama no answer not knowing what
where’s mama no answer not knowing what
where’s mama no answer not knowing what to say tears streamed down his face
to say tears streamed down his face
to say tears streamed down his face Mattie where’s mama and the phone begins
Mattie where’s mama and the phone begins
Mattie where’s mama and the phone begins to ring again and a fear grips a fifteen
to ring again and a fear grips a fifteen
to ring again and a fear grips a fifteen year old boy by the collar of his soul
year old boy by the collar of his soul
year old boy by the collar of his soul [Music]
[Music]
[Music] he stares at the phone in his hand he
he stares at the phone in his hand he
he stares at the phone in his hand he slowly brings it to his ear not wanting
slowly brings it to his ear not wanting
slowly brings it to his ear not wanting to listen hello count time on your feet
to listen hello count time on your feet
to listen hello count time on your feet lights on countin a reoccurring dream
lights on countin a reoccurring dream
lights on countin a reoccurring dream seems to lapse and a reality a blurring
seems to lapse and a reality a blurring
seems to lapse and a reality a blurring moment of me becoming my mother jumping
moment of me becoming my mother jumping
moment of me becoming my mother jumping out of my bunk I stand to be counted and
out of my bunk I stand to be counted and
out of my bunk I stand to be counted and held accounted every morning a groggy
held accounted every morning a groggy
held accounted every morning a groggy eyed reminder of my mistakes not knowing
eyed reminder of my mistakes not knowing
eyed reminder of my mistakes not knowing exactly what went wrong besides the
exactly what went wrong besides the
exactly what went wrong besides the immediate cause and effect of my crime
immediate cause and effect of my crime
immediate cause and effect of my crime somewhere along the line I continued the
somewhere along the line I continued the
somewhere along the line I continued the cycle my mother started two times over
cycle my mother started two times over
cycle my mother started two times over but I have not completed it when I was
but I have not completed it when I was
but I have not completed it when I was 15 years old my mother robbed two
15 years old my mother robbed two
15 years old my mother robbed two pharmacies leaving my brothers and I to
pharmacies leaving my brothers and I to
pharmacies leaving my brothers and I to be raised by the Commonwealth I’m now 25
be raised by the Commonwealth I’m now 25
be raised by the Commonwealth I’m now 25 years old currently serving my second
years old currently serving my second
years old currently serving my second state sentence
state sentence
state sentence my 18 year old mentally challenged
my 18 year old mentally challenged
my 18 year old mentally challenged brother resides today in a group home
brother resides today in a group home
brother resides today in a group home for attempting strangles foster father
for attempting strangles foster father
for attempting strangles foster father and the youngest now 14 still is in
and the youngest now 14 still is in
and the youngest now 14 still is in foster care
foster care
foster care the catastrophic impact of her actions
the catastrophic impact of her actions
the catastrophic impact of her actions is apparent the aftermath longevity of
is apparent the aftermath longevity of
is apparent the aftermath longevity of our lives lasting much longer than the
our lives lasting much longer than the
our lives lasting much longer than the prison time so this is not only a vow to
prison time so this is not only a vow to
prison time so this is not only a vow to my future children this is a message to
my future children this is a message to
my future children this is a message to future parents take heed the events of
future parents take heed the events of
future parents take heed the events of my life for they speak may scream the
my life for they speak may scream the
my life for they speak may scream the echoing of that phone calls my dreams as
echoing of that phone calls my dreams as
echoing of that phone calls my dreams as it should yours since you now know what
it should yours since you now know what
it should yours since you now know what lies my name is matthew Doucet a 9th
lies my name is matthew Doucet a 9th
lies my name is matthew Doucet a 9th child of incarcerated parent
”
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