Cheryl Carrington

Cheryl Carrington grew up in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. She was first incarcerated in her 20s in the 1980s in a federal prison in West Virginia. She also served time in New York State's Albion and Taconic correctional facilities. She served several stints at Rikers, which she describes as a nightmarish place where incarcerated people are reduced to caged, abused animals. She calls Rikers Island "the pits of hell." She now works in re-entry, helping people with addiction issues. She calls her job her passion. (Summary written by: Annie Anderson)