I was born in Senatobia, Mississippi, to the parents of Mr. Joe Lonnie Jackson and Ms. Willie Mae Jackson. My parents had 16 kids, 8 deceased and 8 living I’m the 7th child of and have 6 sisters and 2 brother swho are all living in Memphis TN.
I graduated from Fraser High School in 1977. I moved to Michigan to start a new life in 1979. I met my kids’ father in 1979 and we began our life together as a family. I am the mother of 2 boys and 1 daughter, who is the oldest. I am in recovery from drugs, prostitution, and gang life. I started getting into trouble late in the late 1980s. As I continued doing drugs, I lost all respect for myself. I started going to jail and committed a number of felonies. The life of crime landed me in prison for checking cashing, and drug
Well, God gave me another chance at life. He gave me 2 years in prison to think about what I needed to do with my life. I stayed in Benton Harbor for 8 years, working at Meijer and trying to better myself rebuild my self-confidence.
I moved back to Kalamazoo and started my life over again. I lost my youngest son in 2010 at the age 19. He was killed in a car accident and my world was shattered. But God, being who he is, gave my son 2 boys that I raised until they were 9 and 11. They both are back with their mom and doing wonderfully.
I decided to go out and get a job. Thanks to AARP, I found employment. I work as an assistant to Ms. Jenkins at IPWN. Ms. Jenkins has made me into someone I didn’t know for a long time, giving me the opportunity to find myself again and give back to the community. Now I’m trying to go back to college. I am enrolled in a 2-year program at Cornerstone University and am planning to pursue my bachelor degree as well.
Please pray for me — I really need those prayers in my life. They work! I’m turning 60 and feeling grateful for another chance at being a productive member of society in our wonderful world of opportunity. My life has a meaning now and the vision of my future is in good order.
