Four women, formerly incarcareted in the Suffolk County Correctional Facility, spoke about how they overcame their pasts through a program called Herstory. Herstory is a women’s memoir writing group based on Long Island. The event, entitled “Voices from Inside,” took place in Sun Yat Sen Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Though they had separate experiences, each of the women said they believed that writing was “therapeutic.”

Stephanie Harrison-Mason, one of the four women, stated that the program, “allowed me to start writing my feelings on paper and releasing the pain from the little girl that I never grew up from. What Herstory did for me is they brought me to a point in my life where I can write to deal with my pain.”

Angelita Peete, another of the participants in the program, said she was grateful for the impact that Herstory has had on her life. “It helped me get through some things that I didn’t think that I could get through, I spent 8 months in jail and without Herstory I don’t think I would have made it, it helped me find a voice to say what I needed to say,” she said.

Students were inspired by these women’s stories.

“I was really impressed at how inviting the speakers were when telling us their story… it was an inspiring event to say the least,” said senior Caterina Bon-Tempo.
Adeline Acevedo shared her opinion on what people should know.

“[Herstory] can save other people, and I hope that my words can touch somebody else that is younger than me or to help somebody else feel like…they’re not alone. People can learn a lot from the women that write their stories,” she said.