Born in Maryland to a military family, Kelby moved across the country as a child until landing in Kansas at the age of 8 years old. He describes some of the challenges that came with moving around a lot as a child because it was hard to develop ties. The bouncing around from place to place continued for the military family even after settling down in Kansas. Fitting in was a challenge for Kelby growing up, and he quickly learned it was easier to do “over the top” things as a child to earn the attention of his peers. With a father who was frequently absent due to his career, the family operated for long periods of time as a single parent home with a strong reliance on Kelby to help babysit his younger siblings. With aspirations of becoming a rockstar, sports and similar hobbies did not have much appeal to Kelby. Starting in 7th grade, the troublemaking that got the attention of his peers when he was younger started to lead into serious trouble. By the age of 16, Kelby was spending time on weekends partying. The catalyst for his addiction he describes started with receiving opioids after having his wisdom teeth removed. From there, he was buying pills throughout his youth. After getting kicked out of his parent’s house at the age of 18, Kelby was struggling with his mental health, homelessness, and substance use disorder. Life for Kelby was tumultuous, and he was stuck in a vicious cycle of “repeat, repeat, repeat.” Finally, he was able to break free from the cycle and now helps others do the same. Kelby, we are thrilled to have you now as a part of the Mirror family!

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Born in Chicago, Tamicka spent most of her childhood navigating life with an absent parent. She recalls going to court with her mother at just six years old. As her mother’s addiction spiraled, her presence in the home dwindled due to her substance use disorder. Tamicka shares her perspective at each stage of her life being “a little, a middle, and an adult” as a child of an incarcerated parent. Throughout her childhood, there were many heavy feelings that stemmed from her mother’s absence. Shame, self-blame, and confusion were just some of the feelings surrounding her mother’s absence. As a child, she often wondered, “Was there anything I could have done to prevent my mom from leaving?” After spending most of her childhood with her mother incarcerated, her father began a lengthy sentence in prison when Tamicka was a teenager. With her father being who raised her, this was devastating. As an adult, Tamicka quickly learned she had a passion for helping others who are facing adverse circumstances. After obtaining her Master of Science from the University of Kansas in counseling psychology, she also went on to become a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. For the past 15 years, Tamicka has been working with people to “heal, grow, and become the best version of themselves.” Now, Tamicka is a therapist who works closely with parents and children with a family member incarcerated. In 2023, Tamicka published her book, “Where Daddy Lives,” to provide a tool for parents to have conversations with their children to better understand what is happening and feelings they might have. She offers guidance for age-appropriate conversations parents can have with children that evolve over time. For more information or to purchase the book, visit https://www.tamickamonsoncounseling.com/where-daddy-lives. Dedicated to her two younger siblings and all children of incarcerated parents, Tamicka signed her book, “There is hope.” We could not agree more, and it was such an honor to meet you, Tamicka!

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Starting at just 8 years old, Jason Miles was involved in the justice system. When asked where things began to go “off track,” Jason replied, “You know, I never was on the track to begin with.” Later in life, he was able to identify much of his troubled youth, destruction of property, and rebelling against authority linked back to the anger he harbored for his father not being present. When considering what possible interventions that could’ve helped, Jason thinks he was just “too much.” Entering the prison system at 14 years old, he recalls being one of the youngest youths in the juvenile facility. After releasing from the juvenile prison, Jason’s experimentation with substances started to spiral out of control. Theft and breaking into cars eventually escalated to breaking into a gas station. Hanging around with a group of friends, they would drink, use marinara, and shoot guns. This behavior quickly turned down a dangerous path ending in tragedy. As a 17-year-old, Jason was facing murder charges for 5-20 years. While incarcerated, Jason became involved in groups that were brought into the prison to help with self-development. He started learning more about addiction, recovery, and ultimately what would be his one-way ticket out of prison. He started learning there was a different way to live his life, and his belief that he was “destined to be a knucklehead,” did not need to be his reality or future. Now, he shares all that he has learned with others in hopes he can help lead others to a life of freedom, and when times get tough, you do not need to face it alone. Jason’s story is one of redemption, hope, and the power of second chances. We wish you nothing but the best, Jason!

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