Jordan Ledbetter is 30 years old and incarcerated in Oregon, USA

It's the curse of men like me to have found their passion, but only after we've wasted every opportunity to use it. Now, sitting within a place that limits and controls, I spend every day trying to harbor the fire of my passion, so that it may flourish in whatever spaces it is allowed. I have been many things in my life, but above all, I am a storyteller most, a musician second, and a philosopher third. I’ve studied psychology and philosophy for years now, and recently earned my first degree for my work. I published a book in 2021, which I am proud of despite its many flaws. I play the guitar and love every ounce of the music it fills my blood with. I am a creator, and as new skills come to my life, I dedicate myself to learning them.

I grew up on construction sites and ranch lands, and if there is one thing I miss most from the world I left behind, it’s the bond of a good horse and an honest rider. These few snapshots of me could not explain who I am; that would take more time, more focus. All I can hope these words will leave you is a curiosity, one that might inspire you to give me a chance to prove who I am is worth knowing. Because, the truth is, I want to be seen.

In the end, that’s all any of us can ask for.