VBW Digital Walls (Links)

Voices Behind Walls People & Programs

Digital Walls

The latest update to the VBW site includes a links page recognizing people and programs we've either collaborated with in person or learned of through email/social media correspondence, or research.  The idea came about for two reasons.  The first was from a poem a youth read many years ago in a VBW workshop about the mathematics of counting bricks inside his cell.  The second reason was inspired by the patience we had to develop waiting to host workshop the few times there were delays in transferring youth from their units to the education room.  There were a couple of cases when guards would change shifts upon our arrival or in between the transfer of different groups forgetting all about us.  It required a lot of patience, a lot of waiting.  In one of these waitings, I observed the walls inside the education room.  There were doodles, artwork and writings drawn on the walls from the incarcerated youth.  It made me think about the art of graffiti and it inspired an idea that I've been wanting to add to the website.  A links page, a sort of digital wall of links to people & programs.  An opportunity for us to recognize not only VBW participants, but also other people and programs.  Especially recognition of those that have passed on.  One of those names I've wanted to reference is Malcolm Shabazz, grand child of Malcolm X, who's life was taken from us last year during his visit for labor rights in Mexico.  The link opens a YouTube interview with Malcolm Shabazz by Vizion Filmz that shines light on young Malcolm's work and his connection to advocacy of young people and his experience with the complicated systems of both juvenile and adult corrections.  Like his grandfather, his perspective looked at these issues with a global lens. 

Our Digital Wall will feature and archive links.  Some of those links will be highlighted here on the VBW Blog.  Til' the next link, peace.       

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VBW & Community Solutions of El Paso

Announcing VBW's Partnership 
with Community Solutions of El Paso

Over the course of 2014, I've had the pleasure of meeting with Carolyn Esparza of Community Solutions of El Paso to learn about her advocacy work which includes organizing an annual Prisoner's Family Conference, years of work as a counselor, and experience throughout the juvenile and adult correctional system in Texas.  Ms. Esparza is also co-author of The Unvarnished Truth of the Prison Family Journey along with co-author Phillip Don Yow, currently incarcerated in Texas and Advocacy Director for the Prisoner's Family & Friends United, a component of the Community Solutions of El Paso.

I heard of Carolyn's work last year upon attending a theatre event in El Paso that featured Ashley Lucas and an individual who had served nearly two decades in a Texas prison.  The event was an eye opener that included discussion and an opportunity for me to purchase Carolyn and Phillip's text (which Carolyn's kindly signed :).

This week I was notified that a proposal submission to instruct a class focused on The Unvarnished Truth of the Prison Family Journey was tentatively approved by the Criminal Justice department of New Mexico State University for the Spring semester 2015 .  I'm excited to collaborate with Carolyn and Phillip for the class to continue learning from their experience serving the needs of families both in and outside of the prison system.  It's also a perfect time to see the group continue to grow as plans are underway for a prison radio project.  

I plan to post more information related to the Community Solutions of El Paso including information about the upcoming 2014 Prisoner's Family Conference and details of a creative expression contest currently open for submissions. 

Getting to know Carolyn, Phillip and their work has been inspiring... I'm especially thankful for their willingness to share their experience, goals, and  ideas to continue raising awareness around one of the nation's most pressing justice issues - incarceration and its impact on family & community.  

Special thanks to Carolyn for welcoming me, teaching through her conversation, and for the chance to participate.  Stay tuned for more posts on the VBW blog related to Community Solutions of El Paso.

To learn more visit solutionsforelpaso.org.

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