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Dear friend,

Debi Campbell (third from left) on a prison visiting day with her daughters and grandchildren [[link removed]] My name is Debi Campbell, and as FAMM's Deputy Director of Family Outreach and Storytelling, I'm always telling people to share their stories. This Mother's Day, I'd like to share mine.

I had my first daughter at 17, then another soon after. Ten years later, I got married and had two more girls. Things got rough, fast. My husband abused me, and a friend introduced me to methamphetamine. Soon I was hooked, and I began selling drugs to support my addiction, like so many others.

I ended up in prison for 16 years as part of a conspiracy. Right away, I got sober. I took every parenting class I could, got my college degree, and kept in touch with my daughters. I must’ve crocheted them a hundred stuffed animals! On visiting days, we had fun, but the whole time, my girls would be looking up at the clock on the wall, knowing that time was running out on being with me.

My daughters are grown now, with kids of their own. Life is good. But many nights, I lie awake and think of how different things would have been if I'd been given a chance to show that I learned my lesson way before my 16 years. I knew very early on in prison that I would never sell drugs again. At two years, I was a changed woman. And the rest of my time? It was just me and hundreds of other women wasting our lives on 10 acres in the middle of nowhere.

Today, as you celebrate Mother's Day, I hope you'll think of all the mothers behind bars, many of them serving crazy-long sentences. Will you join me in showing lawmakers that moms deserve a second chance? [link removed] [[link removed]]

Happy Mother’s Day, and thank you!

Sincerely,

Debi Campbell [[link removed]]

Debi Campbell
Deputy Director of Family Outreach and Storytelling, FAMM
1100 H Street NW | Suite 1000 | Washington, D.C. xxxxxx | Tel: (202) 822-6700
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