Theresa Armstrong,
Age 48

I grew up in the Tasker Project in South Philadelphia. It was hard, very racial. In order for me to get back to where I lived, I had to walk completely through the project. I had to fight my way through. It was really violent. There was a lot of gang war, things like that.

About eleven, we moved into Port Richmond/Kensington area. Big difference, because it was an all white area. I was more intimidated by that than being in a mixed environment. It was a different way of life after living so poorly for so long. It was not as violent, not as racial and it took some getting used to. Living in the project I fought a lot. So I came to Kensington area, but I had to adjust to not fighting. It was like completely the opposite of what I was used to. I was like trying to make a name for myself. Like these girls all grew up together. So it was a little hard trying to fit in. I seemed to be able to relate to black people better than my own race. I’m cool now.

I completed half of my twelfth year at Little Flower High School, got pregnant. My mother has passed since then. We tried to reconnect and just wasn’t getting it. I was basically on my own since I was 17. I ran away from home and had my child. Stayed out of the area until I became of age.

Heather was 3 years old, that made me 20-21, when I started coming to prison. Selling drugs, for the fast money. That’s been my downfall all my life, trying to make that fast dollar. I’ve used periodically through my life, never to the point where I’d get… It was always like speed to stay awake, cocaine just as a designer drug. Just to fit around people. I was never a very heavy drug user. I liked the money that you made from it more so than the actual drug.

I was just in and out. It was like a revolving door. Like I have more arrests than I can count. I’ve been skating out of everything with a little bit of money, buying my way out. But I think I bought my last out last year. When I left prison…I did a year last year. I did the whole year…the only place I knew was Kensington and selling drugs to survive. Within 3 months I was back in jail. Got caught big time this time selling to undercover cops. They set me up big time.

Never married. I have 4 daughters. My oldest, she’ll be 31. My baby just turned 21. Then I have 2 daughters in between, 22 and Shannon’s 24. Right now they’re not even speaking to me, because I keep coming back to jail for selling drugs. There ain’t nobody even wants to talk. And I don’t blame ‘em. I’m not trying to force myself on ‘em. I need to change for me right now. So when I do that and I know that I can be out there and not killing people with drugs, because that’s the way I feel now, I’ll be alright. Then they’ll be back in my life. Me and my daughters are all close. I have 5 grandchildren too.