My first story in Prison Journalism Project is published
I'm thrilled to be a part of this and to show my perspective from the "Ouside/In," my new column for PJP.
My first piece in The Prison Journalism Project was published today. It was months in the making and I’m really happy with it.
The article is about the things I had to learn on my own after my brother went to prison. From opening a GTL (Global Tel Link) account so I could accept collect calls, to figuring out how to schedule a video call during the pandemic, I often felt confused and frustrated.
But it made me realize there weren’t enough anecdotal, “how to” stories online for people like me who are dealing with a loved one in prison.
In teaming up with PJP, I wanted to help other people who might be going through the same thing I did. Maybe my stories will help them navigate the opaque process a bit better—how to set up in-person visits and what to expect when you get there, how to send books and other reading materials, and in general, how to be supportive.
Our mistakes don’t define us
As I continue to learn about prison by binging episodes of Ear Hustle and devouring prison memoirs, I’m learning that, oftentimes, the crime does not match the punishment. It’s an unjust and antiquated system (prison is very much a business that needs customers) that is set up to fail people like my brother.
I hope Stories About My Brother and my work with PJP will help to spread compassion and empathy for the incarcerated.
I want to show that people are capable of change and that a terrible situation doesn’t have to end there. We can learn and grow and become better.
My next story is going to be about the surprising things I learned about sending quarterly care packages. Stay tuned for that!
More stories…
Recent visits: A solo visit and with a friend
Last month, I went to see my brother two weekends in a row. I was visiting my folks for a few weeks, so I figured why not. On the first visit, I went alone and the vibe between us felt… relaxed. My brother kept me waiting longer than usual and I kept asking the correctional officer what was going on. I suspect the COs do the bare minimum to look for him …
Seeing the good in a long sentence
Isaac is 10 years younger than me, so taking care of him since he was born put me in a caregiver role. I fed him, clothed h…
What it’s like to have a loved one in prison
I was advised by my mom’s pastor not to write any stories about my brother that could compromise any hope of him getting out early. Although extremely unlikely, there could be opportunities for my brother to reac…
I just read your essay and this is how I found your Substack. You are a good sister.