Becoming Ms. Burton

From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women

By: Susan Burton, Cari Lynn

Narrated by: Janina Edwards

Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

One woman's remarkable odyssey from tragedy to prison to recovery - and recognition as a leading figure in the national justice reform movement.

Susan Burton's world changed in an instant when her five-year-old son was killed by a van driving down their street. Consumed by grief and without access to professional help, Susan self-medicated, becoming addicted first to cocaine then to crack. As a resident of South Los Angeles, a Black community under siege in the War on Drugs, it was but a matter of time before Susan was arrested. She cycled in and out of prison for over 15 years; never was she offered therapy or treatment for addiction. On her own, she eventually found a private drug rehabilitation facility.

Once clean, Susan dedicated her life to supporting women facing similar struggles. Her organization, A New Way of Life, operates five safe homes in Los Angeles that supply a lifeline to hundreds of formerly incarcerated women and their children - setting them on the track to education and employment rather than returning to prison. Becoming Ms. Burton not only humanizes the deleterious impact of mass incarceration, it also points the way to the kind of structural and policy changes that will offer formerly incarcerated people the possibility of lives of meaning and dignity.

©2017 Susan Burton and Cari Lynn (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

An inspiring story

I work with women in prison, and it is helpful to better understand the challenge they face when they are released.

Rubberbanding my preconceived perceptions

Becoming Ms. Burton was somewhat of a challenging listen as it stretched my comfort zones of what I thought was logical consequences for certain actions. I like to have my ideas challenged as I know that is the only way to grow. This book is very well written and narrated beautifully by Janina Edwards. After completing the book I feel that I have a better perspective of our overcrowded prison system, the disadvantages of growing up in our poorest neighborhoods, and the lack of resources available to help young people succeed. I am also left with a few questions that I would want to ask Ms. Burton. I would like to know how she sees people's responsibility for taking ownership of their actions? She wants to get rid of the consequences and provide help instead. My question would be, how should our society force someone to get the help that they need before their actions hurt the people around them? Again, I'm glad that these thoughts are swimming around in my mind. Being challenged in our preconceived perceptions is healthy and leads to growth and change. Thank you Ms. Burton.

Change is possible, yes we can!

Incredible and full of hope
Inspirational, we can shift our views
Thank you!!!!
Thank you ms burton

Thank you Ms. Burton

Thank you Ms. Burton for sharing your story! Your story brings to life things that we hear about and brought to life other facts that were new to me about the lives and road blocks faced by people who have been incarcerated. Things they continue to face when they are working to get back to living life after their release. Impactful story and information that shows there is still work to be done in our criminal justice systems and hiring practices throughout our country.

Be educated and inspired

Listening to this book is like sitting at the knee of a very wise woman who recounts to you an unfathomable childhood and adolescence marred with pain, trauma, and deception yet somehow emerges as a powerful leader. I learned so much about our incarceration system and why it is so important to dismantle it while also attending to all of the injustices that bring people to it. Be prepared for your heart to both break and then be inspired.

5 stars isn’t enough!

I learned of Ms. Burton in 2010 when I saw her on CNN Heroes- now, some 14 years later I’m reading her book as a Correctional Officer for Arizona State…I seriously want to buy a case of these books and hand them out from our Warden to the inmate libraries! This is a must read!!

Compelling

This is the story of Burton’s life. The co-author is journalist and writer Cari Lynn. The first part of the book is about Burton’s early years in which she suffered from emotional neglect and sexual abuse. After Burton’s five-year-old son was killed by an automobile, she became a drug addict. This began years of being in and out of prison.

The second half of the book reveals her path to recovery. She formed a nonprofit organization entitled “A New Way of Life Reentry Project”. This organization helps other women stay out of prison and re-enter society. Burton has won many awards for her work and the Los Angeles Times named her one of the Nation’s New Civil Rights Leaders. She advocated for a more humane justice system guided by compassion and dignity.

The book is well written and easy to read. Along with her life story, Burton also examines a number of issues in a broader context such as: How the lack of employment and housing opportunities increase the odds of a person returning to prison. She writes about ways to change these societal issues. Burton also provides statistics to reveal a fuller perspective of the problems of the prison system. Ms. Burton’s book not only inspires but educates.

The book is ten and a half hours long. Janina Edwards does a good job narrating the book. Edwards is a voice over artist and audiobook narrator.

Outstanding!

Incredible story of a remarkable woman who gives us all hope for a better world and reminds us that no matter your trauma, circumstances or mistakes, you can always rise again and then help others to rise!! Thank you, Ms. Burton!

A great read!

This is a phenomenal book. It was well written. I couldn't stop reading until the very end.

Extraordinary

Extraordinary. Susan Burton is an extraordinary woman. What a life she has lived and I am so grateful she has so poignantly shared it here with us.