More than 2 million people are incarcerated in the United States. This series looks at what happens to their lives—their relationships, families and future prospects—when they get out.

At 20, Shagasyia Diamond committed a crime that put her in prison for 10 years. That’s where she found her voice. “Before I got incarcerated I was kind of shy,” she says. “In an environment with such aggressive people, I definitely had to be able to be more assertive … I had to be able to know who I was real fast.” In this video by Elettra Fiumi and Lea Khayata of Granny Cart Productions, Diamond describes how she’s developed since her time behind bars, as a singer, songwriter and transgender activist.