My name is Yvette Abreo; I was born the youngest of 10 children, in El Paso, Texas. I was 11 months old when my mother who suffered by the hand of an alcoholic husband, was able to escape with her 10 children to California. Her hope was that we could start over and find a good life.

I was an extremely curious child. That curiosity opened up a multitude of dangerous doors for me. I began to use a variety of drugs and hanging out with the local gang members in our area. By the time I was 14, I had been arrested 10 times, sent to Juvenile hall twice and placed in several group homes.

Once I turned 18, my record was sealed. However, it didn’t take long before my criminal activity landed me again, into custody. This time it was to Central California Woman’s Facility. I was sentenced to a 16 month prison term. Once released, I was immediately taken back into custody and given another year. In 1996, at age 26, I was sentenced to a term of 17 years, at 85%.

I knew that I needed to do something with my life and that deep inside I couldn’t stand the person I became. I got involved with groups that focused on self-esteem, forgiveness, and chemical dependency. After four years into my sentence I became involved with various organizations within the prison. I joined U-Turn, a program that targets the troubled youth and offers alternatives to unhealthy behaviors. I also got trained and was accepted as a Peer Health Educator with an organization called Centerforce. It was then that I began giving presentations on health awareness and productive life-style changes. Ten years into my sentence I began co-facilitating groups on Relapse Prevention, Woman’s Way through 12 Step and Cage Your Rage.

I was soon approaching my release date and I knew that I wanted to continue in the realm of this profession once I got out of prison. I had the personal experience, but I was lacking the required credentials to suffice an employer. I went back to school and received my GED and then I went onto enroll in college course. It was then that I was able to receive an Associate’s Degree in Behavioral Science.

I was released in April of 2010. Since then, I have gone on to continue with my education and I am now currently a student at San Bernardino Valley College. I am scheduled to graduate on June 2012 with a Human Services Degree and a Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Studies.