A moving song from women in prison for life
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0:02 - 0:05(Music)
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0:06 - 0:11Dannielle Hadley: Life
in Pennsylvania means just that: -
0:11 - 0:14life without the possibility of parole.
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0:14 - 0:16For us lifers,
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0:16 - 0:18as we call ourselves,
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0:18 - 0:20our only chance for release
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0:20 - 0:23is through commutation,
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0:23 - 0:27which has only been granted
to two women since 1989, -
0:27 - 0:30close to 30 years ago.
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0:30 - 0:34Our song, "This Is Not Our Home,"
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0:34 - 0:36it tells of our experiences
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0:36 - 0:41while doing life without
the possibility of parole. -
0:41 - 0:46(Music)
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1:00 - 1:03Brenda Watkins: I'm a woman.
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1:03 - 1:06I'm a grandmother.
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1:06 - 1:09I'm a daughter.
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1:09 - 1:12I have a son.
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1:12 - 1:15I'm not an angel.
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1:15 - 1:18I'm not the devil.
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1:18 - 1:21I came to jail
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1:21 - 1:25when I was so young.
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1:30 - 1:35I spend my time here
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1:35 - 1:41inside these prison walls.
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1:41 - 1:45Lost friends to death,
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1:45 - 1:51saw some go home.
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1:51 - 1:55Watch years pass,
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1:55 - 1:59people come and go,
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1:59 - 2:09while I do life without parole.
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2:13 - 2:18I am a prisoner
for the wrong I've done. -
2:18 - 2:21I'm doing time here.
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2:21 - 2:23This is not my home.
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2:23 - 2:28Dream of freedom, hope for mercy.
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2:28 - 2:32Will I see
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2:32 - 2:36my family
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2:36 - 2:42or die alone?
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2:47 - 2:50As the years go by,
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2:50 - 2:56I hold back my tears,
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2:56 - 3:04because if I cry I'd give in to fear.
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3:04 - 3:12I must be strong, have to hold on.
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3:12 - 3:16Gotta get through
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3:16 - 3:20another year.
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3:20 - 3:26I am a prisoner
for the wrong I've done. -
3:26 - 3:30I'm doing time here.
This is not my home. -
3:30 - 3:35Dream of freedom, hope for mercy.
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3:35 - 3:39Will I see
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3:39 - 3:42my family
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3:42 - 3:48or die alone?
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3:52 - 3:57I'm not saying that I'm not guilty,
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3:57 - 4:01I'm not saying that I shouldn't pay.
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4:01 - 4:05All I'm asking is for forgiveness.
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4:05 - 4:12Gotta have hope I'll be free someday.
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4:17 - 4:23Is there a place for me
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4:23 - 4:27in the world out there?
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4:27 - 4:34Will they ever know or care
that I'm chained? -
4:35 - 4:42Is there redemption for the sin
of my younger days? -
4:42 - 4:46Because I've changed.
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4:46 - 4:50Lord knows I've changed.
-
4:50 - 4:56I am a prisoner
for the wrong I've done. -
4:56 - 4:59I'm doing time here.
This is not my home. -
4:59 - 5:04Dream of freedom, hope for mercy.
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5:04 - 5:08Will I see
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5:08 - 5:11my family
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5:11 - 5:16or die alone?
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5:20 - 5:23Will I see
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5:23 - 5:26my family
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5:26 - 5:31or die alone?
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5:36 - 5:42I'm known to you as Inmate 008106.
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5:42 - 5:45Incarcerated 29 years.
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5:45 - 5:48My name is Brenda Watkins.
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5:48 - 5:52I was born and raised
in Hoffman, North Carolina. -
5:52 - 5:55This is not my home.
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5:55 - 5:59(Applause)
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6:00 - 6:04Thelma Nichols: Inmate number 0B2472.
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6:04 - 6:07I've been incarcerated for 27 years.
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6:07 - 6:09My name is Thelma Nichols.
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6:09 - 6:13I was born and raised
in Philadelphia, P.A. -
6:13 - 6:15This is not my home.
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6:15 - 6:17(Applause)
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6:20 - 6:22DH: 008494.
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6:22 - 6:25I've been incarcerated for 27 years.
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6:25 - 6:28My name is Dannielle Hadley.
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6:28 - 6:30I was born and raised
in Philadelphia, P.A, -
6:30 - 6:33and this is not my home.
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6:33 - 6:38(Applause)
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6:38 - 6:43Theresa Battles: Inmate 008309.
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6:43 - 6:48I've been incarcerated for 27 years.
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6:48 - 6:50My name is Theresa Battles.
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6:50 - 6:52I'm from Norton, New Jersey,
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6:52 - 6:57and this is not my home.
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6:57 - 7:00(Applause)
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7:02 - 7:06Debra Brown: I am known as Inmate 007080.
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7:06 - 7:09I've been incarcerated for 30 years.
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7:09 - 7:12My name is Debra Brown.
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7:12 - 7:14I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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7:14 - 7:17This is not my home.
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7:17 - 7:20(Applause)
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7:21 - 7:24Joann Butler: 005961.
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7:24 - 7:30I've been incarcerated for 37 years.
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7:30 - 7:32My name is Joann Butler,
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7:32 - 7:36and I was born and raised in Philadelphia.
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7:36 - 7:38This is not my home.
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7:38 - 7:42(Applause)
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7:44 - 7:47Diane Hamill Metzger: Number 005634.
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7:47 - 7:51I've been incarcerated for 39
and one half years. -
7:51 - 7:54My name is Diane Hamill Metzger.
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7:54 - 7:56I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
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7:56 - 7:58and this is not my home.
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7:58 - 8:03(Applause)
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8:05 - 8:08Lena Brown: I am 004867.
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8:08 - 8:10Incarcerated 40 years.
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8:10 - 8:12My name is Lena Brown,
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8:12 - 8:15and I was born and raised
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, -
8:15 - 8:17and this is not my home.
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8:17 - 8:20(Applause)
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8:23 - 8:30Trina Garnett: My number is 005545.
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8:32 - 8:35My name is Trina Garnett,
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8:35 - 8:39I've been incarcerated for 37 years,
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8:39 - 8:44since I was 14 years old.
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8:44 - 8:47Born and raised in Chester, Pennsylvania,
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8:47 - 8:50and this is not my home.
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8:50 - 8:55(Applause)
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9:01 - 9:05Will I see
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9:05 - 9:09my family
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9:09 - 9:12or die alone?
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9:13 - 9:17Or die alone?
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9:18 - 9:22(Applause)
- Title:
- A moving song from women in prison for life
- Speaker:
- The Lady Lifers
- Description:
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The nine women in this chorus have all been sentenced to life in prison. They share a moving song about their experiences — one that reveals their hopes, regrets and fears. "I'm not an angel," sings one, "but I'm not the devil." Filmed at an independent TEDx event inside Muncy State Prison, it's a rare and poignant look inside the world of people imprisoned with no hope of parole.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 09:36
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life | ||
Morton Bast approved English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life | ||
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life | ||
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life | ||
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life | ||
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life | ||
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life |