Adena M'lynn's Voice

I’m a citizen of the United States. Born and raised in Texas, where values like independence, grit, and hospitality were baked into the soil I grew up on. I loved my home state, but it too has turned into a hate filled state. I love the land, the people, the music, the food, and the ideals we  say  we stand for—liberty, justice, equality, and opportunity. But I find myself in a strange position these days. I wish the rest of the world well—perhaps more than ever. I hope other nations thrive where we’ve lost our footing. I hope they lead the way on education, healthcare, climate action, diplomacy, and human rights, especially where the United States has either faltered or walked away entirely. And no, that doesn’t make me less patriotic. In fact, I think it makes me more so. Because wanting good for others doesn’t take anything away from my love for this country—it simply means I’m no longer blind to the damage being done under the false red banner of “greatness.”  I step ...

Why Kimmie from Beauty in Black Is One Of My Heroes  Some women just need to see a woman win. Not for the applause. Not for the headlines. But because we’ve been through hell at the hands of people who were supposed to protect us, love us, raise us—not break us. That’s why I’m watching  Beauty in Black . And that’s why Kimmie is one of my heroes. Kimmie is a fighter. She doesn’t just survive—she rises. She’s passionate, raw, and real. She doesn’t pretend her life is perfect, and she doesn’t let the pain define her. She walks through the fire and keeps going, head high, heart open. I see myself in her. I see so many of us in her. Women who’ve been silenced, hurt, dismissed. Women who’ve had to rebuild ourselves from the ground up. Watching Kimmie live with boldness, with honesty (she will lie in life/death situations) , with fight—that’s a kind of healing I didn’t even know I needed. When you’ve lived through abuse, watching another woman rise above her circumstances is mo...

Words matter. Labels matter. And in a time when truth itself is under attack, using the correct and factual terms to describe public figures—especially those seeking or are already in power—is not only necessary but vital for a functioning democracy.  The rapist draft dodger trump is not just a president. He is a convicted felon. He has been found liable for sexual abuse (rape) in a court of law. He has used his platform and power to mock people with disabilities, attack women, demean people of color, belittle veterans, and stigmatize people with addictions. Sugarcoating these facts or avoiding the proper labels is dangerous. Let’s be clear, the truth should not be softened for the sake of political convenience or social comfort. Why We Must Use the Labels 1. Truth Telling Is a Form of Resistance Calling Trump a convicted felon or a rapist isn’t name-calling. It’s truth-telling. He was found liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll by a jury of his peers. He is a con...

 Dear Dr. Adelglass, I hope you’ll allow me a moment to share something that weighs heavily on my heart. First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest and most sincere apology. I misused your trust, and I lied so many times. I also misused the funds entrusted with me. That truth is painful to admit, but it’s something I must face head-on. Please know, I never set out to deceive you or anyone else. In the moments that mattered, I genuinely believed what I was saying. That may sound confusing, but it is part of living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). This isn’t an excuse—never that—but rather an explanation for the way my thoughts and perceptions sometimes diverge from reality. It’s something I continue to work through, and I understand the weight of the consequences. You trusted me when others didn’t. You saw value in me, even when I struggled to see it in myself. You were not only supportive with your words—you showed up. You stood by me. I remember how you would atte...

Over the next few days, I will be uploading my life story, apologizing to individuals, talking about prison, how people can help others, and where help can be found for those who are living with abuse issues that might be impacting your life in ways you that keep you from living a full life. You might be suffering from autoimmune issues, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-harm, etc...  I doubt I will see the inside of a court room due to my illness, so it's important for me to be honest, own my wrongs, and seek forgiveness. I also want people to know I do not blame anyone for what happened to me as child. I love my parents and I do believe they were not equipped to handle the child I became. I would steal, lie, touch men inappropriately and more. I suspect my mom was also abused, just as I am witnessing today, the heartbreak my niece is going through as she tries to save her own daughter from an abuser. This is one of the letters I wrote to those at the Security and Exchange Commissi...