From the Mother of an Incarcerated Son

[film reel running]

[cars honking]

I have many, many letters that I save, I saved almost

every letter that I get from Kerry.

And this is the mother's day card that I just

received today for mother's day.

He never forgets to, mother's day or my birthday.

And, should I read some of it?

Dear wise matriarch

what God has intended

for our mothers to embody you have personified.

I'm humbled by your examples of leadership time after time

your energy is a wellspring

of endeavors to be carried to their accomplishments.

For the benefit of we who are in compromising conditions

I can attest firsthand

that you have demonstrated how a love that is

truly unconditional translates in this physical world.

You're love is a verb, how precious you are.

Thank you profoundly

for the many lessons you have and do teach.

That's from my son who's in prison.

At first, it was a lot of shame.

Like you failed as a mother,

Kerry got 66 years to life.

And that meant that I would never see my son as a free man.

The family used to come every weekend.

We would take the kids.

We would go to the park.

Kerry was our person who did the barbecue.

He was our barbecue person.

And so we spent the holidays together.

You know, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays.

After he was gone, it seemed like everybody stopped coming.

Everybody stopped coming after Kerry went to jail.

He was sentenced in 2003.

So I became an advocate for him to get the truth

out because I felt like he was wrongfully convicted.

And it started out as me fighting

for the release of my son because he has children.

And I wanted him to be free

to be a father to his children, Kerry's son was murdered.

And he couldn't go to the funeral.

I really,

hit the streets in 2011, after the murder of my grandson.

[Woman] One year ago today, we stood

on the steps of this courthouse, in the year since

we have not stopped fighting.

[Anita] Last year, I stood before you to tell the story

of my son and his nail that stood in the way of his freedom.

And I am angry as I stand before you today because

for black women like me, our male stories happen often.

[calm music]

[running water]

I don't see why America celebrates

Mother's day and Father's day.

They break up mothers and fathers,

having mass incarceration

having private prisons to break up families.

And then you're going to tell me to celebrate

a freaking Mother's day.

I don't think so.

What the do I want to celebrate it for.

[spoon hitting pot]

[phone ringtone]

Please call me back.

Darn it.

[phone ringtone]

Hello.

[phone] This is global Tel link.

You have a prepaid call from Big Kerry an inmate

at the North Kern state prison, Delano, California.

This call

and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded.

To accept this call say or dial five now.

Thank you for using global Tel link.

Kerry!

You know, I just, I just mistakenly hit the wrong dial.

When you called and yesterday you called.

I was right by the phone and I missed it.

I missed your call.

I thought you were gonna call back when

you called yesterday.

Yeah

[laughing]

You know he tryna get you to go to college.

Yeah

Love you too.

[laughing]

Okay babe.

Okay babe.

Have a good one.

Okay bye.