VBW Blog

Sunday, August 9, 2015

VBW Justice Archive: ((Keep Your Head Held High))

VBW Justice Archive Update

((Keep Your Head Held High))

To ((listen)) visit the VBW Research Network: click here

About the VBW Justice Archive

The Voices Behind Walls (VBW) Justice Archive is a collection of audios, artworks, photographs, and writings archived on the following:

VBW Research Network Blog: vbwresearch.blogspot.com
VBW YouTube: youtube.com/voicesbehindwalls
VBW Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/vbehindw

The purpose of the archive is to document VBW program history, specifically the creative expression of its participants and program partners. Files of the VBW Justice Archive are resources for educators, youth, and the public to share. We hope these files inspire new ideas and other creative expressions in all learning spaces. The archive is especially to acknowledge the existence of its participants, a majority incarcerated youth, who recorded into the VBW microphone between the decade of 2004 to 2014. Hopefully you all find your way back to our page to reflect on your contribution to the VBW program.

The VBW Justice Archive began documenting its program history in 2014. Audios will be posted periodically. Updated will be posted at the links above including twitter.com/vbehindw.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Young Jefe & $Gone$, The El Paso Sessions (VOWs)

Young Jefe & $Gone$

Just an afternoon at the library documenting a freestyle to some beats. This year, thanks to Mr. Groove we've been able to set up in El Paso again. Young Jefe was the first to participate. He has a lot of positive energy and is committed to showing up and encouraging others to participate. He also most recently graduated from high school, class of 2015. Hopeful he learns to channel his talent and ideas through the power of the pen more often. His partner in rhyme, alias $Gone$, was introduced to the VOWorkshop for the first time this week.

VOW or Voices Outside the Walls (a component of Voices Behind Walls/VBW) is is focused on recording creativexpressions with equipment that's been donated to us outside of detention (VBW started inside of juvenile halls). We also exchange resources such as the Beat Within magazine, free composition books, and pass out instrumental music CDs to motivate the writing process of participants. Aside from that we check in on the latest music videos, discuss our latest listens, and exchange notes on plans for education, employment, etc. A project site location like the library or university also gives us the chance to promote reading. We also have our own books that we lend out. Short term, the goal is to help each participant develop their own mixtape project for them to share with their peers, family, and community. Long term, the idea is to create a space to learn, document voices, and for mentorship. The creativexpression we record and document includes all musical genres, stories, and voices.

Check us out on twitter.com/vbehindw

Thursday, May 21, 2015

#VOWLibrary

VBW/VOW Library

#VOWLibrary #VOWcheckout #VOWcheckin

In each workshop back when, we'd set aside at least one table for books, CDs, supplies, etc. The purpose was to try and transform the uninspiring space we had to use for workshop into a learning environment. When we recorded the poetry or rhymes of an incarcerated youth, having learning stations kept others engaged either in reading, writing, listening, learning about creative technology, building with a visitor, or playing chess until it was their turn on the mic. The photograph featured above is a shot of what we called the VBW Library. Participants were able to look through the resources, and if they found something they liked, check them out by signing the book pockets slips the facility library donated to us. It was cool, cause it kind of made me feel like we were operating a mini-mobile library with a check out process.

Today, our collection of resources pretty much goes wherever I go. Though we do most recording sessions in public libraries now, the participants I've worked with so far don't have a library card. One expressed he has no desire to get a library card and another can't get one. While my main goal is to promote the library as a place to be with resources to check out, I'm still planning to build on our own collection of literature and multimedia to loan to participants. Especially if the resources we have are not available at the library, which is most often the case especially with multimedia including music CDs and films, and some resources we've created ourselves.

While I was using the book pockets as a way to keep track of who had checked out what during our workshops in detention centers... on the outside, I've decided to use our program's Twitter.com/vbehindw hashtag #VOWLibrary (Voices Outside the Walls), #VOWcheckout, and #VOWcheckin to keep track. Peace to Deasy who also started bringing in stuff to lend to me. The purpose of posting on Twitter is also to promote the authors, text, artist, filmmakers, actors, etc. and to even document some thoughts on what we're using to inform our activities. I'm also intending for this process to motivate us to keep adding on to the collection and exchange.

From time to time, we'll highlight one of those resources here at the blog.

Peace.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

((Mysterious Minds)) by Mousey

VBW Justice Archive Update

Sam aka Mousey ((Mysterious Minds)) Instrumental

To ((listen)) visit the VBW Research Network: click here

About the VBW Justice Archive

The VBW Justice Archive began documenting its program history in 2014. Audios will be posted periodically. Updated will be posted at the links above including twitter.com/vbehindw.

Monday, December 8, 2014

VOWs Session Clara Belle Williams Hall | NMSU

VOWs Session on Location at the Clara Belle Williams Hall

New Mexico State University 12/6/2014

Thanks to the WITS program we were able to find a space this past Saturday afternoon to continue the Voices Outside the Walls (VOWs) sessions. For me it was a return back into the hallways of the Clara Belle Williams building at New Mexico State University's English Department. Room 107 is where most of our poetry classes were for the Master of Fine Arts program between 06'-08'. Hopefully we're able to host more VOWs sessions here. It's a neat and comfortable space to record and easy for our participants to get to. Below are a few more shots.

Clara Belle Williams

Clara Belle Williams. She was the first black student to graduate from NMSU back in 1928. A lot of ideas were born in this building named after her. Look forward to continuing to learn more about Ms. Williams' history at NMSU.

Room 107

It's a Saturday, finals week, so the hallway lights are off. Room 107, welcome back.

Inside

Rearranged the tables to work. Space is important and not easy to come by if you're going to make a little bit of noise. Thank you Sarah!

Chalkboard

MasterD2

MasterD2 spittin' flows. When I first started conducting workshops at the juvenile detention center in Las Cruces, I just missed MD2 who was serving time at the facility. He had been sent off to a juvenile program elsewhere in the State. MD2 was the first "incarcerated youth" I'd visit a couple years prior when he was arrested and held in the Dona Ana County Detention Center. He was scheduled to appear on a radio show I hosted at the time to discuss his participation in a creative arts program I worked for at the University. Due to his arrest he didn't make it. More than 10 years later, I ran into him at a good friend's barbecue. He's my friend's younger brother. We decided to get the program going again, except this time, outside the walls of detention. The name VOW (Voices Outside the Walls) is inspired by another VBW participant who continued making music after his release and even performed at the University bookstore he visited when he was incarcerated. The tour was arranged through VBW's Juvenile Justice Outreach & Community Education (JJOCE) course.

During Saturday's (12/06) workshop we discussed song structure, concepts, history, and redefining character to set new goals. 'Dear Self' was the first poem recorded this afternoon by MD2.

'Wordsworth' by Carlos Andrés Gómez

VBW Justice Archive Update

Carlos Andrés Gómez Recording 'Wordsworth'

To ((listen)) visit the VBW Research Network: click here

About the VBW Justice Archive

The VBW Justice Archive began documenting its program history in 2014. Audios will be posted periodically. Updated will be posted at the links above including twitter.com/vbehindw.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

((4 A.M. Cody Brown Remix)) by Cody Brown

VBW Justice Archive: ((4 A.M. Cody Brown Remix)) by Cody Brown

Original Post / Cody Brown Soundcloud: click here

Posted & Archived at VBW Research Network

Cody Brown is an alumni of Voices Behind Walls. He brought a lot of creative ideas to VBW with his knowledge of music production, not only as a Hip Hop beat maker, but also someone who knows how to play instruments. He's also a brilliant song writer and lyricist MC/poet. In many ways, like key players before him, he changed the course of our workshop and opened up the technical possibilities for how we recorded and what we could do with the limited equipment and software we had available. Through Cody we were able to dream big in what was our goal for the youth themselves to have input along with others on the development of a studio inside of the detention center.

Upon his release from incarceration Cody continued with his music including the instrumental project featured above that Cody produced and uploaded onto his Soundcloud. It is a remix of the Melanie Fiona single 4 A.M. off of The MF Life released in 2012.

Along with our own recordings, the VBW Justice Archive will feature audio downloads from participants and affiliates of the program.

About the VBW Justice Archive

The VBW Justice Archive began documenting its program history in 2014. Audios will be posted periodically. Updated will be posted at the links above including twitter.com/vbehindw.