A woman who discovered she was pregnant just two weeks into her prison sentence has opened up about her experiences behind bars and the motivation behind her and her partner's campaign to assist other families affected by the system.

Amanda Tarver, aged 22 at the time, made what she describes as a “youthful mistake” by helping her now-husband, Legend, sell drugs. She received a two-year prison sentence for transferring money for him and accepting packages at her apartment.

In contrast, Legend was sentenced to 47 months for conspiracy to import a controlled substance. Despite being a first-time offender, Amanda faced a two-year term at Coleman Federal Prison Complex in Florida.

The stress of incarceration was compounded by the separation from her then six-year-old son, Dorian, who remained in the custody of Legend’s mother during this time.

As of late 2023, the US had the highest incarceration rate globally, with approximately 1.8 million individuals imprisoned according to Statista.

This alarming statistic is what inspired Amanda to share her story through the charity 300 Letters, which aims to advocate for reform within the prison system.

“I really thought my life was over,” said Amanda, who hails from Miami. “When they told me the verdict, I was in shock. I hadn’t gotten into trouble before and I expected a warning or probation. But none of those factors seemed to matter.”

Amanda served from 2015-2016 and spent a total of 24 months incarcerated after meeting Legend at a college bar in 2012.

While aware that Legend sold illegal drugs to support his education and family, Amanda did not fully grasp the severity of their actions at that time. “We were living in a city where party drugs are notorious,” she reflected. “I was young and naïve.”

The reality struck hard when they were indicted. At seven months pregnant, Amanda was moved to a special unit for expectant inmates described as “a warehouse with no windows and thin beds.” Her mother-in-law visited once monthly with Dorian but being apart from him during such an important time weighed heavily on Amanda.

“It was an emotional rollercoaster,” she said. “I didn’t know if I’d make it to full-term because of my stress levels.” She gave birth while incarcerated and expressed disbelief that this would be how Legend Junior (LJ) began his life; he stayed with Amanda until he turned three months old before moving in with Legend’s mother Maria and older brother Dorian.

Legend shared his feelings about missing LJ's birth: “It was horrible hearing everything Amanda went through without me there.” The couple maintained their connection through letters—an essential lifeline during their separation—where they discussed their future together and updates about LJ.

After both were released—Amanda in June 2016 and Legend in January 2017—they married and reintegrated into society but felt compelled to support others navigating similar challenges. In 2021, they founded their charity named 300 Letters inspired by their own correspondence while incarcerated.

The couple began crowdfunding through existing contacts while launching targeted social media campaigns alongside fundraising events centered around fitness activities. Recently receiving grants from The Children’s Trust & The Miami Foundation, 300 Letters provides free family therapy services along with financial assistance for childcare aimed at families recovering from incarceration trauma.

Amanda stated: “Initially we focused on getting back on our feet—finding jobs—and then we looked at how we could help others.”

"I worked in criminal justice journalism for some time discovering organizations assisting families but found many programs weren’t tailored specifically towards children or families."

"Having trusted childcare would have been extremely beneficial during that period when Legend was still incarcerated."

"We explored all different aspects of our experiences as parents which led us to develop our programs."

Legend added: "We realized that having family support is crucial for successfully staying out of prison."

"Our goal is strengthening family structures to lessen impacts on children."

"Children are six times more likely to end up in prison if one or both parents are incarcerated," according to National Institute of Justice statistics; we aim to break this cycle."

To date, their registered charity has assisted over 400 families impacted by incarceration providing emotional support along with resources like groceries and toy drives.

Amanda now works full-time for 300 Letters while Legend partially funds it through his role as lead trainer at Legacy Gym.

Amanda concluded: “We’re thrilled to bring hope to so many families quickly; word-of-mouth shows how many parents want prioritize family after these experiences.”

"Helping feels incredible; this is our life's purpose amidst busy schedules focusing on our kids."

"Our aspiration is achieving full funding for 300 Letters—we're placing all bets on it as fundraising remains our most pressing challenge."