Becoming "insti": The fight to preserve a sense of self in prison

Becoming "insti": The fight to preserve a sense of self in prison

My first fight in prison came within the first day of my arrival. I didn’t even know I was in it, nor did I throw a punch. However, I found myself defending against an incessant assault from an invisible assailant with no face or motive. Little did I know it would be my greatest battle to date, next to surviving in prison—a fight I currently have no clue whether I’m winning or losing. Before prison, I led what I considered a normal life. Upon en…