Our next guest’s story will make your jaw drop to the floor. In June of 2001, Kiera was incarcerated for a crime she did not commit. When did she get released? Not until almost 20 years later in April of 2020. She was only 16 years old and had her life planned out of how she wanted to break away from the mold she grew up with and create her own journey. 

We cover a lot on this episode. Everything from,

• Her childhood years and being the eldest of 5 children and how she shielded her younger siblings from the struggles her parents had due to being a part of gangs.
• Having straight A’s and how she had the dream of wanting to be an attorney or a child psychologist when she got older.
• At 13, she started dating a boy who also received straight A’s, got into the wrong crowd and joined a gang. Then in December of 2000, she witnessed him get shot in front of her in a drive by.
• How in June of 2001, the police brought her in for what she thought would be a lineup to point out the person her shot her boyfriend, but they arrested her for the murder of a boy killed on April 16th 2001. A day that she was in school and had proof from her teachers that she was there. Next thing she knows, she was given 60 years to life for a crime she did not commit.
• The moment she got to see her family for the first time in prison and how she had to learn how to explain to her younger sisters that looked up to her, what was happening.
• How she wanted to give up in prison and was ready to end her life. But then describes the exact moment when she went to the church inmates were allowed to go to, and Sister Esther Wallace Scott gave her a message from her grandmother. A message that Sister Scott was able to give through God, but Kiera knew was from her grandmother. A message that gave Kiera hope.
• How school kept her going in prison and anytime she could take a class, she would. Resulting in helping her be able to become a Social Worker once she got out of prison.
• The moment she got out of prison learned about the world and how much it had changed in 20 years.
• How her fight is still not over, even though she’s out of prison, she’s not fully free yet.  

There is so much more we cover that I couldn’t put above. But man, this episode is eye opening on the legal system and how we do not take care of people properly once they’ve been released. Kiera’s fight is not over and it’s our job to get her story out there to help so many other innocent people who have been wrongfully incarcerated. Please share this episode and get her story out there. We hope to be able to come back with Kiera soon to get updates.

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