By Kwaneta Harris

From PHN Issue 56, Spring 2024

At 51, living in a solitary confinement cell in Texas increases my likelihood of an early death. It’s a daily fight to remain physically and emotionally healthy. I’ve been incarcerated 17 years, with seven and a half in the hole. Texas is known for its brutal prison conditions: No air conditioning. No ability for anyone to purchase individualized TVs. A two-page commissary list for everyone. Although, on paper, we are allowed out of our cell daily for a shower and outdoor/indoor recreation, that’s seldom enforced. I developed a regimented daily routine. As a Black woman, I know I’m at risk for diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and stroke. As a former nurse, I know how to combat the harm this box was designed to do.

Continue reading “GET BUSY! COMBATTING THE HEALTH RISKS OF A TEXAS SOLITARY CELL” →