Xenia Williams, artist.
About this Episode
The threads that weave the human story of mass incarceration of women are complex, often tangled in a legacy of abuse and injustice behind and beyond the prison walls. The tropes and caricatures are so different from the limitations confronting men. They follow formerly incarcerated women into the “free world” as they confront intractable barriers to economic and civic engagement that defy the notion of “returning citizens.” This episode, voiced by women with lived experiences inside the cage, explores needs beyond the profoundly broken and unsustainable system.
In this Episode
Chef-tivist, Just Soul Catering
“The impact of incarceration was like a death…that same death over and over and over again for 20 years.”
Managing Director, Clean Slate Initiative
“Passing Amendment 4 [in Florida] was the largest expansion of voting rights since the women’s suffrage movement.”
Advocate & Educator
“Black girls are pushed into the criminal justice system through a variety of means that erase their identities, and make them feel isolated and excluded.”
Activist & Speaker
“I was no legitimate threat to public safety [but] five minutes after I gave birth…US Marshals handcuffed and shackled [my legs] to the bed. I didn’t know when I was going to physically touch, smell, feel my son again.”
Project Director, Project Rebound
“Formerly incarcerated women are now leading the movement to bring about the most progressive criminal justice reforms in this country.”
