Anh remembers stepping through the gates of Central California Women’s Facility for the first time in March 1999. She was in her mid-20s and facing 25 years to life. It felt like the end of a long, dark road—a search for love that left her empty.
Raised in a Catholic family, Anh was a shy little girl who craved attention. Her mother and father worked hard to put food on the table for their large family. As a result, her parents were often away from home. Anh began acting out in middle school, ditching classes and trying alcohol.
After a relative molested her, Anh drank to numb the pain and confusion. She befriended people with the same reckless habits. "I don't know how I graduated, because most of the time, I was drinking," Anh says, looking back. "I slept around ... I wanted to feel loved, and to me, that was love."
