REESY FLOYD-THOMPSON

Women Married To Men In Prison. Reesy Floyd-Thompson: Her Story... I love crime stories, cold cases, unsolved mysteries—a good whodunit. When my husband was cast as the unsuspecting bad guy, I was forced to play a supporting role in my very own crime drama. Seven years ago I stood behind my husband in a Pennsylvania courtroom and watched as my life instantly changed forever. I was nervous. I was naïve. And I was not ready when the judge sentenced him to 12 ½ to 25 years. At that moment I knew everything would be different, everything would be difficult. There was never a question as to if I would keep my commitment to him — I’d made that choice years before when I said “until death do us part.” For better or worse, I would never go back to simply being Mrs. Thompson. Now, I was also Mrs. GE-6309. Each year I watch as new faces come in to the system and I watch as those faces fade away. I thought: Prisoner’s wives need more resources. The premise for Prisoners’ Wives, Girlfriends, & Partners—an organization dedicated to those with an incarcerated partner, was born. I understand the hardship imprisonment can have on a relationship. My prison credentials include: founder of Prisoners’ Wives, Girlfriends, & Partners (PWGP) and developing workshops on issues germane to women in this situation. PWGP publishes a bi-monthly newsletter Reesy’s Pieces; listed as family member expert on Virginia’s Prisoner Re-entry Council; editor for the InsideOut newsletter for the Virginia C.U.R.E.; contributing writer for Graterfriends for Pennsylvania Prison Society; creator and editor of popular blog Mrs. GE-6309 Time. I am a social advocate for women standing by their men and standing up for their marriages during times of incarceration. I urge women to be diligent in seeking and sharing the necessary resources to keep their families intact. I am working on a book about the prisoner’s wife relationship. Norfolk, Virginia is my home.