Q&A With Piper Kerman: My Inspirational Bestie

*I was provided with a trip to Netflix Headquarters and a Q&A with Piper Kerman as a Netflix Stream Team Member. Any opinions are 100% my own. 

Ever have one of those moments that makes you realize something matters to you that you didn’t know mattered before? A person, an animal, or an issue? I had no idea that I cared about the issues going on in women’s prisons until the Q&A with Piper Kerman and tears were running down my face.  I had no idea that I would still feel so inspired by Piper…

I had been pretty darn excited in the days leading up to my trip out to Netflix Headquarters and the Q&A with Piper Kerman. Any Orange is the New Black fan would be. AmIRight? Lots of those questions did get asked, and here are a few…

Q: Did you share the stories of the other women in prison with you?

A: Piper told her story. Every sentence is a story and their stories were not hers to tell. The back stories on Orange is the New Black the series are fictional.

Q: Has your life changed since the show?

A: Not really, but Halloween was surreal with so many people dressed like Piper.

Q: How close is the book to the Orange is the New Black Series on Netflix?

A: Piper said it’s pretty close. There is a lot of sexual relations, there are people working in prisons with certain views, and things that happen on the show really happen in prison. It is really eye opening to the issues that are really going on inside women’s prisons…..

I had a few questions of my own ready to go, mostly what others asked. I sat listening and then someone asked about the issues in women’s prisons with race. Piper talked about those issues and how the system really does have problem and color does still play a factor. As Piper continued to talk, a tear fell, and then another, and they just kept slowly trickling. Now I had never thought about the prison system in general, let alone women’s prisons, so this feeling…this need to help came out of no where.

Incarcerations rates are soaring, despite a 40% drop in violent crime since 1990. Learn how you can get involved with criminal justice reform.

Things were wrapping up and I knew what I wanted to ask. I wasn’t even sure I could get my question out…but I did. I will give you the short form because there was a lot of me mumbling and bumbling and stuttering as I composed myself….

“As bloggers that like to use Social Media for good, how can we help you get the word out about women’s prisons?”

We can be a voice.

We can share Piper Kerman’s Story. 

We can visit the women’s prisons in our area and volunteer.

We can spend some time with the children whose mothers are in prison.

Every sentence has a story and we can help give those stories a bigger voice. 

Maybe women’s prisons aren’t what you are passionate about. And that is okay. But be passionate about something. Be inspired by something. I wish everyone could meet Piper and absorb the inspiration she oozes. Trust me…..you will walk away ready to tell your own story.

Thank you Netflix and Piper for a day I will never forget.