Desiree Taggart has been like a part of our family for years. As my daughter's best friend I have seen her transition from a bright, fun-loving young girl in a creative arts elementary program; to a hard-working teen in a gifted & talented program...and after meeting her "first love", on a difficult trajectory into struggles. Life has had hard lessons for my dear Desi, and let me be clear, many of these are real & natural consequences to paths that she followed others down into.

This fall, the people she was surrounding herself with (allegedly) made some very bad choices and this has led Desiree herself to be facing 9 felony charges.  

Unfortunately in America we have two legal systems: one for the rich, and one for the poor. Without the funds to pay for an appropriately skilled attorney one can expect their legal defense to be compounded with others that need to be quickly shuffled off a desk and plea bargained into acceptance of guilty verdicts. 

We can't necessarily change any of these big issues (unhealthy relationships, mental health, bullying, social injustice for the working poor) however, I am asking that you take this moment to support Desiree and what she stands for. As a teenager Desiree helped to set up a social justice rally, she was active in the 2016 campaign, stayed by my daughter's side in the hospital after her car accident, and she has always lived her life to help others. Unfortunately her need to "help" was taken advantage of. 

Please contribute to a fund for Desiree's family to use that will allow them to secure quality legal council and give her a fighting chance at justice.  

http://woodtv.com/2017/09/29/teens-charged-in-stolen-guns-incidents/

https://www.researchgate.net/blog/post/two-in-one-differences-in-the-us-justice-system-for-the-rich-and-the-poor

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/05/public-defenders-gideon-supreme-court-charts/