This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Chowchilla.
Hello UCI students,
I am currently incarcerated at CCWF (Central California Women’s Facility or Chowchilla). I am writing about our conditions here during this pandemic. I am thankful there are people like all of you who have taken an interest to care. I pray this finds you all well.
I would like to say that these COVID times have given me time to focus on the things I need to overcome (such as my issues). And while I have used much of my COVID time to seek the help I need, CCWF has riddled my psyche with fear, alienation, shock, and longing for normalcy.
We are on edge, looking for the answers no one seems to have while also wanting our community to be seen. And a bit of optimism goes a long way in having that happen. So I acknowledge that the guarded and uncomfortableness of COVID leaves us (most anyways) apprehensive at being around staff and devastated at being continually locked down.
While all of this is new to us, I am disheartened that CCWF did not make better use of the 7 1/2 months we had with no COVID.
I pray we come out with no fatalities. The level of detachment and exhaustion is something I’m sure is felt out there as well.
We look to the day when we are able to contribute back to your society through our groups and move into healing the divide. Thank you for taking the time to listen. I pray I was of some help.
