Donna Ann Smith-Marshall

I am a wife, mother, writer, author, publisher and motivational speaker who is a former inmate of the California Prison System for falsifying financial statements and forgery. At the time of my sentencing in 1993, I was sentenced to a prison term of 3 years, 8 months in which I did 2-1/2 years after not returning in 1991 to serve a one-year county term in which the prison sentence was originally suspended. I have 13 years of expertise, knowledge and information where I have experienced, witnessed and spoken to many inmates about the lack of medical care, rehabilitation and the comfortableness of prison which conditions you to view it as a place of acceptance ' for the most part home, and the grueling conditions first hand that plague the majority of women behind the walls. This has led me to become an advocate for the rehabilitation of prisoners and their rights in bringing an awareness to those that struggle to stay outside of the walls that God, faith, belief in and love of self, responsibility and ownership and rehabilitation are a necessity to stay from doing 'TIME ON THE INSIDE' in an effort to not adapt a mentality and acceptance of institutionalism, to give a clearer understanding of daily life and survival when 'Behind The Walls,' to those in society that may not be sympathetic to the problems, challenges and needs that are faced by many individuals in the system that a need for compassion, rehabilitation and resources are a necessity to effectively change the lives of individuals who have been affected by the California Penal System.

I was raised in the church from a little girl and know that many don't know that God can and will change all things. I want individuals to know that we must seek Him first and believe that He along with faith must be the key factor. Once we believe that God will fulfill all our needs, this is standing on faith and He truly will do so; however understand it is in His time not ours. As Psalm 145:18, says, 'The Lord is near to all who call upon Him; To all who call upon Him in truth.' This is what we must do in order to succeed in this world.

In the more than 10+ years I have been out of the system I have gone through many struggles and temptations. My 13 years of expertise and knowledge have taught me to first stand on the word of God and faith, take accountability and work through those negative mental barriers that plague each of us. This has allowed me to keep pressing on to become a better person and one that can give back by helping those that are struggling to stay out of the penitentiary and-or make it in society just as she did which has inspired her to do her part and open Lets Focus Development Center For Women, a nonprofit organization to assist them in positively progressing back into society.