Kelsey

My dad was really abusive to all of us kids and my mom. And so my mom was finally able to get out when I was about three months old. She packed all of us up, left my dad, and drove cross-country to my mom's hometown. That's where I spent most of my life.

He actually went to prison after my mom left. And if he got out of prison, there was this fear that my dad would find us one day.

He actually went to prison after my mom left. And if he got out of prison, there was this fear that my dad would find us one day.

He actually went to prison after my mom left. And if he got out of prison, there was this fear that my dad would find us one day.

I remember my mom would like brush out my hair so I looked more white. And so I looked like the other Mormon girls in town and then essentially told me not to talk about my background, which worked because she was also, I think, hiding us from my dad in prison.

I remember my mom would like brush out my hair so I looked more white. And so I looked like the other Mormon girls in town and then essentially told me not to talk about my background, which worked because she was also, I think, hiding us from my dad in prison.

I remember my mom would like brush out my hair so I looked more white. And so I looked like the other Mormon girls in town and then essentially told me not to talk about my background, which worked because she was also, I think, hiding us from my dad in prison.

It was finally getting away from my dad, but then she had a bout of cancer she thought she was going to die from.

It was finally getting away from my dad, but then she had a bout of cancer she thought she was going to die from.

It was finally getting away from my dad, but then she had a bout of cancer she thought she was going to die from.

And that was definitely on purpose. I think that she wanted to be super careful. And even when I asked her about it, I even remember her saying, this was private, this is adult things. I don't want to scare you. I'm protecting you from this information. Kelsey's escape was the Girl Scouts.

And that was definitely on purpose. I think that she wanted to be super careful. And even when I asked her about it, I even remember her saying, this was private, this is adult things. I don't want to scare you. I'm protecting you from this information. Kelsey's escape was the Girl Scouts.

And that was definitely on purpose. I think that she wanted to be super careful. And even when I asked her about it, I even remember her saying, this was private, this is adult things. I don't want to scare you. I'm protecting you from this information. Kelsey's escape was the Girl Scouts.

I had this tiny pocket of girlhood that was so fun, like waiting once a week with my girlfriends to earn badges. When I think about where I felt like I mattered most, it was there.

I had this tiny pocket of girlhood that was so fun, like waiting once a week with my girlfriends to earn badges. When I think about where I felt like I mattered most, it was there.

I had this tiny pocket of girlhood that was so fun, like waiting once a week with my girlfriends to earn badges. When I think about where I felt like I mattered most, it was there.

I would go for weeks at a time. I just loved summer camp. I was meeting women who were older than me, who were models of what it was like to really be yourself. Ugh, I have the best memories at Girl Scout camp.

I would go for weeks at a time. I just loved summer camp. I was meeting women who were older than me, who were models of what it was like to really be yourself. Ugh, I have the best memories at Girl Scout camp.

I would go for weeks at a time. I just loved summer camp. I was meeting women who were older than me, who were models of what it was like to really be yourself. Ugh, I have the best memories at Girl Scout camp.

I just thought they were so special and cool. I just thought, that's it. I'll be there one day.