Painting Ourselves Into Society
An upcoming art exhibit and 18 new stories
Welcome to Empowerment Ave! Learn more about our history, partnerships, and past published work here. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
Islam is Beautiful by Cedar Annenkovna
Happy summer, everyone, we’re back with an exciting exhibit and powerful stories. Painting Ourselves into Society is soon to launch at the Berkeley Art Center, July 27th though October 20th, 2024. Co-curated by Orlando Smith from inside San Quentin, and EA’s executive director, Rahsaan Thomas, eight formerly and currently incarcerated artists from prisons across the country explore what it means to be connected to the larger community. (The show will include Cedar’s powerful painting above.) Join us at the center for the opening reception on Saturday, July 27th from 2-5pm, and stay tuned for more information and public programs.
Below, we’ve got reporting, essays, poetry and more, on a wide range of topics. We continue to be amazed at the work our community does in spite of intolerable and oppressive surroundings, including the extreme heat many folks in our community are now suffering under.
Our Latest Work
Writing from Michigan, Demetrius Buckley pens an editorial for The Progressive1 about the dangerous use of tasers by correctional officers. “After one electrical shock from a taser, the human body stiffens before falling forward,” he writes.
Demetrius Buckley’s poetry is also featured in the Winter 2024 issue of Boulevard2, which you can purchase here.
In observance of Juneteenth, Xandan Gulley explains for Prism3 how prison labor in Texas is nothing more than modern day slavery. "If we don’t work, we face disciplinary action."
And Xandan Gulley has an essay up this week at Into4 titled “A cry for help from an incarcerated trans man in Texas.” He opens up about the abuse against him and the ostracization of LGBTQIA people in prison.
A chess competition in San Quentin united prisoners and guards to transform lives, writes Kevin Sawyer for Bay City News5. “I’ve been wanting to play some of these guys for a long time,” said Correctional Officer J. Havard, who played inmate Kelton O’Connor. “It was really fun. Revolutionary.”
Continuing our partnership with Spectre Journal6, Corey Devon Arthur writes about social lynching in the form of media coverage around his conviction. “Perhaps I would have arrived here a lot sooner if truth and restorative justice was a priority for the media. It wasn’t.”
In the latest issue of The Bellingham Review7, Corey Devon Arthur shares his essay “We Talked Like We Were Locked Up Teens.” Read it here.
In the sweltering Texas summer heat, Kwaneta Harris fought for A/C in her solitary confinement unit. She is now in a new unit without A/C — meaning she's got to start the fight all over again. She writes about it for The Austin Chronicle8.
For Cal Matters9, Steve Brooks writes about a possible looming budget cut that would close dozens of housing blocks in California—but, "If California opts for smaller changes to prisons, rehabilitation must remain a priority.”
Raymond Williams contributed to "Justice Is Not A Game," a Seattle University School of Law report about Washington's three strikes law. Ray is directly impacted by this unjust law and provides valuable insight and lived experience.
Personal transformation is a lifelong journey that, for prisons, is worth the investment, writes Christopher Blackwell for The Appeal10. “…much of my transformation occurred despite—not because of—the criminal legal system.”
Our partnership with the Black Lipstick11 newsletter continues! In her essay “Bridging the Gap,” Chanell Burnette talks about empathy, prejudice, and friendship in prison.
The latest reporting from Ryan Moser explores opinions on city spending: In Philly, the people’s budget increases civic engagement and moves money, published by Next City12.
This month, Tony Vick for Filter Mag13 writes about how ‘prison guard’ became the job that everyone eventually leaves. “What we have now is a revolving door of COs who very rarely engage prisoners in conversation.”
Aaron Kinzer has an op-ed for Freedom of the Press Foundation14 about the social media ban proposed for federal prisons. "Social media bans in prison cause harm to journalists — both inside and outside prison gates."
In Rethinking Schools Magazine15, Darrell Jackson reflects on “My Struggle with Identity in a White Education System.” He writes, “It’s more important than ever that we Black people fight for the right of all students to know the truth.”
For Felix Sitthivong's Beyond the Fence Line column for International Examiner16, he writes about the meaning of Juneteenth from prison and a zine release featuring other Juneteenth writings from incarcerated folks.
Smoking bans created a health crisis, writes Jonathan Kirkpatrick for Filter Mag. "Contraband markets have always included things that are legal outside prison. Clothes. Porn. Reading material. Food. But banning tobacco made the market more predatory, in a way that hasn’t happened before or since."
Artist Spotlight: Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith joined EA in 2022 and has been off and running ever since. Earlier this year he had a solo exhibition, created new work for the installation Work Assignments: Forced Prison Labor in the Land of the Free about involuntary servitude in prisons, and his painting, Mail Call—originally published with Zócalo Public Square for banned book week—made it all the way to Sydney, Australia for an exhibition and drew the attention of the governor of New South Wales.
This painting In the Shadow of the Watering Hole from his Underprivileged Oasis collection will be 1 of 3 paintings on view at the Berkeley Art Center as part of Painting Ourselves into Society. Alvin says, “This piece highlights the inner city plight of Black people—the strategic placement of liquor stores, and the inability to trust those who the community views as outsiders. I've been detached from my community for thirty years, and about twenty years ago I began creating these snapshots of my life's experiences as a way of seeing myself still in my community.”
Inside/Outside Insights
SUPPORT: There is an open letter to PEN America which asks for accountability and transparency from the organization’s Prison and Justice writing program.
NEWS: EA writer Aaron Kinzer is now home and was profiled in the news — twice!! — for his writing and mentorship work. We’re so proud of him!
PRINT: Thanks, Sonya Huber, for featuring us in a print-only feature of the latest issue of Poets and Writers! Get yourself a copy here: "OPENING OUR PAGES: AN EDITOR’S JOURNEY TO PUBLISHING INCARCERATED WRITERS"
LISTEN: Three opportunities to hear more from our Empowerment Ave writers:
You can hear Demetrius Buckley read his poem ‘Prest Street’ up on The Public Square.
The Chicago radio station WVON featured Tony Vick’s essay for The Progressive about the impact of the felony murder law on his friend.
Juan Moreno Haines joins for an episode of the "One Minute Remaining" podcast to talk about journalism behind bars and more.
Want to connect with us more?
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram | Donate to our work here | Learn more on our website here | Build with us at empowermentave@gmail.com
The Progressive covers grassroots progressive politics, civil liberties, human rights, economic justice, a healthy environment, and a reinvigorated democracy. They pay $150 for essays.
Boulevard is a biannual literary magazine.
Prism launched the Right to Write Project to feature and pay incarcerated writers. They pay .50 per word.
Into is a digital magazine for the modern queer world. They pay $150 for essays.
Bay City News is a news agency based in the San Francisco Bay Area that focuses on general interest news.
Spectre Journal is a Marxist journal we’ve partnered with, they pay $50 per essay.
The Bellingham Review is an American literary magazine published by Western Washington University. They do not pay.
The Austin Chronicle is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas. They do not pay for op-eds.
Cal Matters is a nonprofit & nonpartisan state newsroom dedicated to explaining how government impacts our lives.
The Appeal is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to exposing how the U.S. criminal legal system fails to keep people safe and perpetuates harm. They pay $1 per word.
Black Lipstick is a Substack publication featuring art and writing on makeup, mental health, mortality, queerness, sex, gender, nostalgia, pop culture, parenthood, weird dreams, dark thoughts, and everything else. They pay $150 per essay.
Next City’s journalism centers marginalized voices while amplifying solutions to the problems that oppress people in cities. They pay $300-$500 for reported pieces.
Filter’s mission is to advocate through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy, and human rights. They pay $300 per essay.
Freedom of the Press Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that protects, defends, and empowers public-interest journalism in the 21st century. They pay $400.
Rethinking Schools is the country's leading grassroots magazine for social and racial justice in education.
International Examiner is the oldest and largest nonprofit, pan-Asian Pacific American publication in the Northwest. They pay $100 for an opinion piece.