Remy Ma penned a passionate Instagram post where she explained why she’s been mum regarding the presidential election. The rapper and reality show star says she has been asked several times to do PSAs to help get out the vote, but that because she is a convicted felon she does not have the right to vote herself. Remy references Ava DuVernay’s new documentary about mass incarceration, 13th, and credits it for helping to explain her own frustrating experiences with the justice system.

“As I watched this documentary, The 13th, I realized even MORE than I’d already learned during my entire ordeal: arrest, trial, conviction, incarceration, release, reintegration I often c comments with complaints of how I need 2 “get over the jail thing” & “get on with life” or even “that’s what she get 4 doin [xyz]”… This movie explains what I b trying 2 say; I wish I could post the whole thing just to make sure as many people as possible c it. I made this quick edit & included the parts that literally had me n tears,” she wrote.

Remy said she thought that by going to trial, the truth would come to light and she would get a fair chance, but now feels that the system was more interested in a conviction than finding out what really happened. And although she served her time, Remy feels that she’s still “technically in prison” because she has to check in for parole and abide by rules that limit her ability to work and generate income, such as being on a curfew, paying a monthly fee, and having to ask for permission to travel. Read her full statement below: