Today my topic is: The circle of understanding- Danita Corbin’s life. My life started with faith, which is the most important foundation in my life. My mother raised my two sisters and I up in the church. My mother was a great provider, working sometimes seven days a week. I stepped away from this, not understanding what the darkness was until I was in it. My mother worked a lot, and this gave way to wolves in sheep clothing, unbeknownst to her, to invade our space. One time, a boy down the street took my oldest sister’s bike and threw it in the ditch, all because she would not give him the time of day. I marched down the street and kicked the guy in his shin and told him not to do that to my sister again. This incident and others is where, as the youngest, something shifted and I became the protector in my household.
From my point of view, I saw everyone in the streets having more fun than I felt I was, yet I surely did not understand the consequences of their lifestyle. First chance I got, I dove in head first, all vanity and no purpose. At the age of 29 my journey led me to a life sentence plus 30. Once I got here, I felt angry, confused, hurt, distraught and hopeless, as if I did not have a purpose. I got into altercations and was constantly complaining to my mother.
It was not until I had three major epiphanies –The first was with my mother. I was complaining so much that I did not want to be here. My mother sent me a card, and the words she wrote in it made me realize I may not like where I am, but I can still get up and see the sun rise and live a life where I still have choices. My victim’s family cannot. I can still communicate with my children, where my victim’s family and friends and his friends can’t with him. My selfishness I became very aware of.
My second epiphany was when I called my sister’s house and my son answered. I learned that he had been suspended from school. When I tried to scold him about it, his response was,”Where are you just coming from?” I was in segregation for an altercation, which I no longer do. This epiphany helped me to see that I could not expect my children or anyone else, for that matter, to follow an example that I was not living up to. My words have to align with my actions if I want to be a good role model for my children or anyone else.
The third epiphany was when I lost my daughter to a car accident. This opened my eyes to the depth and true understanding of the loss my victim’s family is dealing with – birthdays, holidays, the empty chair where they should be sitting; their laughs, the tears spilled, the ones not spilled, the sleepless nights, the unanswered questions and not being able to say bye. Through all of this, I realized I could have lost myself. I found myself standing at a crossroad, and in the end, I chose my faith. I was in search of something.
That something was my freedom within that led to my discovering my purpose. I found this by developing a personal relationship with God, being introduced to The 40 Strong, an organizations that fights for inmates and getting bills passed to get a second chance in society, better conditions in the prison; helping inmates as individuals to become a better person by offering college courses, a platform to discuss, speak on different topics; sharing success stories of inmates who were able to go home reminding us we have to do our part if we want to see a change. We have to rehabilitate ourselves so that we too can be a success. They also help with entering back into society.
I had the privilege of forming a friendship with a man named Calvin Aery, who was part of a group 50 years ago at a maximum security at the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond. They went against the Commonwealth’s brutal and racist correction system and won a significant victory for prisoners nationwide. The lawsuit was Landman v. Royster. Because of these five men’s courage and fight today, we can walk in their victory that they fought so hard for. Calvin afforded me the opportunity to help with the Alfred Wilcox Freedom Mini Library here. Calvin reaches out and sends books that he believes will give us hope and is suitable. Reading these books helped me to tell my story, gave me my voice back, as well as hope. I started to find freedom reading my Bible and the books Calvin sends on real life people. Calvin gathered courage to take a stand and fight for himself and others. His books and communicating with him gave me courage to help others to fight for their freedom when I was working in the law library.
One of the books I read was A Question of Freedom, about Dwayne Betts, who is a former inmate, a lawyer, a 2021 MacArthur fellow and founder of the Freedom Reads Initiative. I connect with him because he mentions how he read a lot to beat back all the noise and silence when he first got incarcerated. I found myself reading a lot to not have to face reality of the mess I had made of my life and the pain I caused the victim’s family, as well as my own. Dwayne also mentioned he wrote a lot. He wrote poems too. I write and write poems at times. Betts got a lot of turn downs, yet he had not gave up. Then one day, one of his writings got accepted. I can relate. I receive a lot of turns down but one day I got published myself. Betts found his freedom in writing. When I write I find a profound freedom.
Betts also mentioned that he was on a quest to find something, that something was his true identity. He found his something as I found my something. I am a changed person. I found my faith and purpose, which led me to a freedom within. I was a lost person, not truly understanding the healthy lifestyle my mother was teaching her girls. So, I jumped into a world I had no clue about. I was unhealthy, and not making good decisions led me here. Now, my travels lead me back to my first and true love, which is my faith. I have found my purpose and a freedom within. I am now a healthy person, spiritually, emotionally and physically. I also make wiser decisions. You can learn more about incarcerated women, clemency, and support, and my petition, if you go to @IWCSP linktree. And thank you for your time.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
