Not me, anymore | Erica Munoz | TEDxPerryvilleCorrectional 2018

Co-dependent from a young age, Erica Munoz stumbled into a life of abuse, promiscuity and hardship. Seeking the love she never had in her parents, she yearned for a relationship to heal her broken past. A mother of three beautiful boys, she fought to succeed and keep her head above water in a world against her. Suffering through a lifetime of abuse - sexual, physical and emotional - Erica felt isolated from society, living a life she dreamed to escape. With no one willing to listen, to truly understand, she stayed. The abuse, a constant dark cloud, consumed her life until it became a storm that she could no longer run from. In the end she failed herself, her children and went down a dark path leading to her incarceration. Driven to leave Perryville as the best version of herself, she leaned on her faith and changed her life. “I’m not broken anymore. I’m stronger, wiser and more beautiful than ever because God took my broken pieces and made me whole again. I refuse to stay silent. I know my worth and will never go back to what broke me.” She has a strong voice and through the TEDxPerryvilleCorrectional stage, Erica lets others know the importance of believing and listening to survivors of abuse.