This performance of the Lady Lifers Chorus is a rare window into the world of women serving a life sentence at Muncy State Prison, a women's prison near Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The singers, who have already served 27-40 years confined, sing poignantly about their life in prison for an independent TEDx event held at the prison.
Lead vocalist Brenda Watkins, who candidly admits "I am a prisoner for the wrong that I have done," wants you to know that she is more than an offender. She sings, "I'm a woman. I'm a grandmother. I'm a daughter. I have a son. I'm not an angel, I'm not the devil. I came to jail when I was so young."
"This Is Not My Home," written by Howard Woodring, with music by Naomi Blount, reveals the prisoners' fear of dying alone and not seeing their family again. Each of the women, during their solo, show they have not allowed their time in prison to rob them of their humanity. Their high spirits, despite no hope of release from prison, are inspirational.
"My number is 005545. My name is Trina Garrett. I have been incarcerated for 37 years, since I was 14 years old. Born and raised in Chester, Pennsylvania. And this is not home," sings Garrett when it's her turn.
Garrett's story is not unique. Pa. Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel noted at the event, "Probably, one of the most infamous distinctions in some people's minds would be that Pennsylvania leads the country in the number of lifers that were sentenced as juveniles. Pennsylvania has nearly 500 lifers, who were sentenced before the age of 18, who committed a crime, in their youth, and for that crime will never leave a prison. And this whole notion, just try to wrap your head around: growing up inside a prison."
After watching the performance, one has to wonder why these women, who longer appear to be a threat to society and have been imprisoned for decades, are still in jail. As Brenda Watkins sings, "I have changed." A life sentence in Pennsylvania means there is no possibility of parole. With judges elected rather than appointed in the state, there is no movement to change this, despite the state's spending $2 billion annually to maintain the prisons.
The Muncy State Tedx event, with the theme of "Tapestry Threads", featured many heartrending talks and performances. Tameka Flowers speaks about the molestation by her father and other relatives that began at the age of 9.
Prisoner Naomi Blount's reminds us in her song "Incarcerated" that prisoners may be in prison because they were perpetrators of a crime, but often they are victims of crime as well. She sings, "My baby boy was only just 10 years old when he got shot. So many, many stories I was told. I would lay in my cell at night wondering who could have possibly shot my only child, And saying to myself, had I been there, would that have made things alright."