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My Name is Makini Marsden I am a lifestyle blogger, women’s empowerment leader, showcase manager, radio host, advocate for mass incarceration awareness and the wife of wrongfully convicted Ricardo Marsden. Prior to my involvement in criminal justice I was completely unaware of how this system affected society as well as the  family structures as a whole. As a matter of fact it never occurred to me how common wrongful convictions were until my husband became a victim of it. My journey in justice began with finding understanding trough my husband’s case. At the age of 18 my husband was snatched off the streets by Nassau county detectives. He was confined to a room where is was beaten and interrogated for 23 hours. Despite the traumatic experience he was subjected to facing, he could not bring himself to confess to a crime he did not commit. He was later charged with MURDER in the second degree and was given a trial where his rights to Due process were violated. Prosecutors and Experts lied & bolstered their testimony to match the D. A’s theory. His trial attorney offered no defense as the honorable Judge Meryl Berkowitz watched them miscarry the case. You can find more of his story by visiting @FreeMarsden on Instagram. After carefully review his transcripts I became slightly fixated with finding answers for the discrepancies within the case. I knew our love would grow strong enough to withstand the restrictions of incarceration, however I refused to settle with that reality of his sentence.  I searched tirelessly for an attorney or firm to take his case. As discouraging as it was, I still never gave up hope. Eventually we found an attorney to represent him pro-bono however, we later found he was not the right attorney for our case. This process was discouraging for the both of us but through grace, the right attorney found us. With one encounter after another everything slowly started falling into place. I worked diligently with my husband’s current attorney (Justin Bonus) to help fill in the blanks and assisted with whatever was needed to piece this puzzle together. As progressive as things were in his case my social life quickly declined. People I considered friends and thought would support me on this movement slowly became enemies which only turned into distant memories. Soon after I became the topic of discussion to relatives that viewed my work as inadequate. We were mocked and called every name under the sun, I was even labeled delusional for my faith and supporting my husband by my own family. As a result, I quickly cut ties with these individuals to keep my peace and maintain my household. The closer our bond became was the more turmoil I faced without my husband physically present. I eventually found comfort in my solitude, with confidence knowing my only support at the time was my mother/author (Marlyn Ann Haynes). My mother was a true woman of virtue who taught me everything in fighting the “Good Fight”. My mother was not only my number one support, but she was also my husband’s and his mother’s support from the young age of 13. Both of our mothers were present during my husband’s trial 13 years ago, Ricardo is now 30 years old and currently still serving time for a crime he did not commit. As difficult as this journey has been, my mother always taught me resilience. Her exact words were “Never give up, God will see you through this.” Being directly affected by incarceration exposed me to the harsh realities of this system as well as the stigmas attached to the system. I quickly realized real situations will expose fraudulent people. In the years I have dedicated to supporting my husband, I lost everything including my mother in 2017 along with everything she gifted to me. I overcame betrayal, lies, abuse and dishonesty by my own immediate family, while my husband helplessly watched. The more we progressed was the more turmoil I was subjected to facing on my own. As painful as this experience was, I was still able to convert my pain in passion. The lack of support and empathy I received from family friends and churches became my remedy. Out of my pain, I birthed my first project “kairos moments,” Which is a showcase formulated to bring awareness to mass incarceration in New York. At these events I had local musicians, Indi artist, poets showcase their talents on behalf of bringing awareness to end mass incarceration. The second project I successfully birthed was women’s empowerment events, for the women of the incarcerated. These events were held in law firms where we provided employment opportunities, home ownership options and insurance resources. I also had criminal and civil attorney’s present to offer legal assistance for their loved ones. This event had female entrepreneurs and advocates against domestic violence. Reentry advocates and criminal justice organization were also present in assisting the women of the incarcerated. These events are filled with high energy, love and support for women that all shared the same pain. My third project is “Facing the Truth” on DTF radio. This show airs live every Friday night at 9:00 pm, via audio and video cast. This show is used as a platform for the voices of the oppressed to be heard. We discuss issues that affect society but more specifically the families of the incarcerated. This show provides resources in criminal and civil rights. My guest included holistic practitioners, advocates against mass incarceration civil & criminal attorneys. I have also had people that effected changes in legislation, organizations in justice reform, re-entry programs as well as leaders from the mayor’s office to close down Rikers. My fourth project involves working with a team of licensed civil rights and criminal attorneys from various law firms. We work together providing legal assistance to people that have been directly affected by this system. These attorney’s work diligently to find answers for families who’s loved one’s experienced incidents of police brutality, and as a result they file civil suits on behalf of the client. As someone that is still directly affected by incarceration, I plan on continuing to create innovative ways to help people just like me. I personally know what it feels like to be viewed as unworthy and I’ve seen the injustice of my people firsthand. Because of this experience I refuse to turn a blind eye to this reality. I will follow the footsteps of my ancestors and continue to work with people that genuinely want to see positive changes within the justice system. In the words of Malcom X - “You can’t separate peace from freedom, because no one can be at peace unless he has freedom. Let’s collectively continue to support the efforts of individuals and organization that make it their priority to help us all stay free. Stay connected with my story on IG @makini101

 

Stay Woke,

 

Makini Marsden

CEO of Biddersweet

Biddersweet253@gmail.com