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Keeping calm is really difficult for me because I only have my mom by my side throughout my prison incarceration. She has been the only one who takes care of my needs, whether emotionally, mentally, or financially. I worry about me catching, then dying from COVID-19, and that the prison officials wouldn’t tell her about the real cause of my demise. Or worse, they would lie about it.

On the flip side, what if she dies and leaves me alone with no family connections in a strange state where I don’t fit in no matter what I do?

We’ve been locked down for over three months with no ending in sight. I wonder — is this the new normal?

The president and the government has me so pissed because they refuse to be a leader to the people. Instead, they lead business owners, the National Rifle Association, rich society and whoever else shut America down until a vaccine can be administered to everyone!

The longer they, in the outside world, stay unorganized, the longer we, in prison, can’t try to live the best life we can. There is a shortage of almost everything including medical supplies, food products, and hygiene products. There are no more picante beef soups, chili soups, or spicy vegetable soups due to the coronavirus.

I’m hoping things will loosen up soon, I’m experiencing cabin fever with a little stir craziness on the side.

P.S. A book I’ve enjoyed and highly recommend is “Marking Time In the Age of Mass Incarceration,” by Nicole R. Fleetwood.

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Shariff Taylor

Shariff Taylor is an African-American transgender writer who is incarcerated in California. Shariff is from Newark, N.J., and is an activist for LGBTQ rights in and out of prison. They identify as gender-fluid. Shariff has been published in the American Prison Writing Archive, a partner of the Prison Journalism Project.