Ahora también puedes explorar nuestro sitio en español. Si aún no lo has visto y prefieres leer en español haz click aquí.

In case you didn’t know, we now have a Spanish language website. So if you haven’t seen it yet and you prefer your content in Spanish, please go explore the site now.

John,

During Hispanic Heritage Month, the Innocence Project is sharing the stories of some of their Latinx clients — this is my story:

When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, Brenda, I was so happy — that day was the happiest day of my life. I always wanted to be a mom. I remember in school, the teacher would always ask us to draw pictures of what you want to be when you grow up and my drawings were always me as a mom with a bunch of kids.

When I learned I was expecting a second child — a boy — I was just as excited. My dreams of being a mom with a big family were coming true.

But sadly, those dreams were ripped away from me when I was wrongly convicted and sentenced to 99 years in prison for a crime I didn’t commit. What made it all even harder is that I didn’t speak English well at the time — I was born in Mexico and Spanish is my first language, although today I speak English, Spanish, and can read and write in braille. I had a hard time understanding the officers and everything that was happening in court, and those first few years of wrongful imprisonment were made even harder because of the language barrier.

I spent nearly 18 years wrongly incarcerated before finally being released in 2020 and getting to reunite with my children.

Take a moment today to read more about my story and share it online with your friends and family.

One of the reasons I always wanted children was because of the love and care my mother always showed me — and she still does to this day.

I remember when I first got out of prison, I was so worried that I’d forgotten how to cook after not having the opportunity to cook my own meals for so long. There was one day, early on, when I even forgot how to cook rice! I called my mom in a panic, and she very patiently and lovingly walked me through the steps of her rice recipe — flavored with onions, garlic, and chicken broth.

Just that smell filling my new home brought back so many wonderful memories of my mom cooking when we were growing up. I’m now so grateful that I get to share some of the recipes I learned from my mom — like how to make bistec empanizado — with my kids and friends.

Passing on your culture and family traditions to your kids and grandkids may seem like a small thing to some people, but to me, as someone who thought they might never get a chance at freedom again, it’s everything.

Please, spend some time today to learn more about my story and share it on social media. And stay tuned for more stories throughout the next few weeks.

Thank you for your support,

Rosa Jimenez
Released in 2020