“I was born in Samoa. We pronounce it “shamore.” I’m 100% Pacific Islander. My family moved to Long Beach, then Washington. My dad was transferred to Fort Lewis. He was deployed to Iraq three times. Then he came home and spent a tour at Fort Drum in New Jersey. My mom is a stay at home mom. She takes care of my four brothers and four sisters. My oldest brother went to the penitentiary but he’s out now. A bunch of people visit me: my mom, my dad, brothers and sisters. I caught a 10 year sentence for robbery. I been here three years. I hope I get out in 2016—that will be six years. That’s the minimum sentence. The maximum is ten and then there’s a medium. If I get released after six, I still would have to do one year where I can’t stay here, ‘cause I age out. So I hope I get work release from 21 to 22. I came in when I was 16. I had another offense when I was 14 and 15. Assault and robbery. It’s all physical stuff. That was my second offense. So they have a point system, where class B felonies all add up a half point and I added up to 8 points. So I got ten years. Sometimes they take into account the number of ACEs you’ve had. I was with two codefendants. They got out. It was their first offense. I was charged as an adult although I was 16. It was a class A felony. Kids get declined; they declined me my second day. Of course I was under the influence of alcohol. I have a high school diploma. I want to get into a college program. Then I want to open a Samoan restaurant.”
-T.N., age 19