People & Culture

Tonier Cain Muldrow: From A Prostitute And Chronic Drug Addict To A Celebrated Speaker (pics)

By Muyiwa Olayinka

On March 16th 2018, a reformed drug addict and chronic prostitute wrote:

‘Fourteen years ago, I laid on my prison cell pregnant with my daughter and I cried out to God. My prayer was sincere and desperate. I cried out “God I don’t know if you listen to people like me but if you do please, help me”

This is the story of an American black lady, Tonier Cain Muldrow. She had been to the lowest abyss of her life, lost, dejected, depressed and almost ruining her life, but her new found faith in God, turned her situations around.

In her Facebook message she said ‘God heard my cries. Since that desperate cry, I have not desired or used drugs or even smoked a cigarette. What He has done for me and through me shows the true healing, delivering power of our true, living God. Our Savior! Our redeemer!!! Our Healer!! Our Deliverer! Today marks my 14th year of freedom.

Who the son sets free is free indeed. Father God, I celebrate you!!!! I thank you! I honor and worship you for being The Creator! The First and the Last. The Alpha and Omega!!! The “I AM”!! Glory to you alone. Thank you for the blood of our Savior Jesus who has set me free!!!

During her 19-year crack addiction, Cain-Muldrow racked up 83 arrests and 66 convictions. She turned to prostitution to pay for drugs, lost custody of four children, and, when she wasn’t locked up, she slept under a bridge in Annapolis.

Muldrow in the middle

Since completing treatment in 2005, she has dedicated her life to rehabilitation of drug addicts, and also became a celebrated speaker and trauma care expert and even testified before Congress and lectured at Yale University.

She authored a poignant memoir, “Healing Neen,” and has a feature-length documentary of the same name, exposing her traumatic childhood filled with abuse, rape and neglect. There is a docu-series in development chronicling her and her husband, Adrian Muldrow’s work in the community, and her second book, “Relationships After Trauma,” is due out March 2018.

For her selfless effort in management of Trauma, Tonier Cain-Muldrow, was granted special recognition from Baltimore’s State’s Attorney, Marilyn Mosby, for her contribution to construct healthier communities and her dedication to raising awareness and providing resources for trauma survivors and the re-entry population.

The honor was presented during a black-tie gala held last week as part of the second annual Healing Neen Trauma-Informed Care Conference hosted by the nonprofit organization, Neen Cares.
“It is such an honor to know that Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby knows my name – and its not for an indictment,” said Cain-Muldrow.

The founder and president of Neen Cares continues with humor, “To receive a certificate from the state that doesn’t say the state versus Tonier Cain shows me that my message that where there is breath there is hope is reaching people in high places that can make changes in the way they treat homeless, incarcerated, and drug addicted populations.”

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