Spring 2026 Winner of the Supporting Prisoners Families Scholarship

Aubrey K Gibson

Aubrey is a student at the University of Kansas and the Spring 2026 winner of the Supporting Prisoners Families Scholarship. In her essay, Aubrey discusses how her life has been affected by her mothers incarceration. Aubreys dedication and ambition have pushed her to work toward a higher education and set a positive example for her younger siblings.

Read Their Essay Here:

The trajectory of a life can change in a single moment. For me, that moment arrived when I was 22 years old. While many of my peers were navigating the start of their careers or finishing degrees, my world collapsed. My mother was sentenced to double life in prison, an event that did not just take her away from me; it uprooted every foundation I had ever known.

In the immediate aftermath of her arrest, I lost my home, my job, and my sense of self. The damage to my small family was devastating. My two younger sisters, who relied on my mother and grandmother, had to be rehomed. One went to live with her father in Independence, MO, while the other was taken in by my grandmother. As I struggled to process the gravity of a double life sentence, I found myself paralyzed, trying to make sense of everything and how and why something like this could happen to me. I lost the confidence to move forward, and, perhaps more painfully, the hope necessary to ask for help. Who would even know how to help? I felt adrift, a young adult suddenly tasked with navigating a world that felt entirely hostile.

The challenges only intensified when my grandmother had to move to Tennessee due to failing health. This further fractured our family unit; my youngest sister was moved again, this time to the care of her deceased father's parents. Watching my family scatter while I stood in the ruins of my former life was a test of my spirit that I never could have seen coming.

Overcoming these hurdles didn't happen overnight. It began with the realization that while I could not change my mother's sentence or the past, I was the only person who could build my future. I had to restart my life from scratch.

I learned the importance of hard work while taking on hospitality jobs, which helped me rebuild my financial stability and self-reliance. I eventually became a Front Office Manager and earned my certification, overcoming the stigma of having an incarcerated family member. When the COVID pandemic shut down hotels, I transitioned to a banking job, which gave me the confidence to keep moving forward. Finally, I could see that my mother's actions did not define me. By focusing on discipline and the goal of returning to school, I regained my confidence, earned my associates degree in business administration, and continued towards my bachelors degree at the University of Kansas.

This scholarship is more than just financial assistance; it is the bridge between the life I was forced into and the life I am choosing for myself. Having lost everything once, I understand the value of an education as a portable, permanent asset that no tragedy can take away.

By supporting my education, this scholarship allows me to break the cycle of instability that incarceration often imposes on families. It will give me the tools to provide a better example for my younger sisters, showing them that our family history does not have to dictate our destiny. It marks the final step in my journey from a place of hopelessness to a place of purpose, proving that even from the most broken foundations, something strong can be built.