Sign the #EndTheException Petition to Finally Abolish Slavery in the US
A recent article from the Guardian, ‘Slavery by any name is wrong’: the push to end unpaid labor in prisons, talks about the injustice of incarcerated people’s forced/coerced, unpaid labor. It buries the call to action, so we thought we’d highlight that here. Please consider signing this petition to the US Congress to consider legislation […]
Reflecting on 2021’s achievements as I look forward with hope to a New Year
Before I get into our plans for 2022, I want to acknowledge some of our accomplishments from 2021. While we’re all too aware that the global situation remains challenging, we feel it’s a vital practice to choose to put your attention on the positive as well. In 2021, Prison Yoga Project: Restarted more than 65 […]
“Second Chances” for Those Released From Prison Implies They’ve Been Given a First
From Ms. Magazine, an article by Tyra Patterson, an advocate and artist, is creating a world where people impacted by incarceration are fully welcomed back home and not defined by their mistakes. “Second chance” ignores that actual lives and communities have been decimated by inequitable laws, rabid police officers, overzealous prosecutors, racially homogenous juries and intolerant judges. At […]
Yoga helps Las Cruces Public Schools students, staff relax, get moving, think more clearly
We appreciate how holistic this approach sounds, offering yoga not just to the students, but to the staff and families as well. And professional development so teachers, coaches, social workers, librarians, and nurses can incorporate the practices in what they do! Right on LCPS! “We offer all staff members access to two free yoga classes […]
Trinity Commons Speaker Series with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
Jessica Mingus, Director of Programs for the Lineage Project, moderated a conversation for the Trinity Commons Speakers Series on May 13th with world-renowned trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of the bestseller The Body Keeps the Score. In their hour together, they spoke about trauma, healing, and the impacts of the pandemic on mental health. […]
Research Roundup: Incarceration can cause lasting damage to mental health
Thanks to the Prison Policy Institute for this article with links to all the supporting research. We often think of incarceration as something people live through and from which they can ultimately be released. But the reality is that time spent in prisons and jails can create a host of collateral consequences that haunt individuals even […]
Ben & Jerry’s on the PIC (Prison Industrial Complex)
Hi Friends! Ben & Jerry’s published a powerful and concise article on the PIC (Prison Industrial Complex). In it, they link to some well-researched and useful resources. Unfortunately, they’re not feeling the love in the comments. I’m not suggesting we respond to the negative comments, but perhaps we can let the folks at Ben and […]
Words Matter
The language we use shapes our perception and can significantly influence how we engage with the world and our impact on it. We must choose our words carefully when speaking about people who are incarcerated. Much of the language used currently is inherently dehumanizing and freezes the person in time rather than allow for personal […]
“Incarcerated and Infected: How the Virus Tore Through the U.S. Prison System” – NYT
This article from the New York Times is an excellent piece of journalism. It provides a high-level perspective, as well as a heartbreakingly intimate look at the experience of the pandemic for people incarcerated in the U.S. A must-read. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/04/10/us/covid-prison-outbreak.html
