Something You’ve Never Done

by Harry Goodall The main thing I want to do is be a dad. I have two kids, but have missed all of their lives because of a prison sentence. I feel that just because I helped in the creation of my kids does not make me a dad.  I’m just a donor. It’s other scenarios that had complicated me being involved in their lives, but I have had to learn to live with that.  If I didn’t place myself in prison maybe the restrictions wouldn’t be there. After all, you’re not placed in prison because you’re a good guy. As a result of

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Sharing Our Deepest Scars

by Keith Erickson The scars of my childhood are the very parts of me that so many men like me, incarcerated men, want to keep locked away from the rest of the world around them. The Alternatives to Violence Project Workshops bring out the courage in men that you would never expect to witness within a prison. This weekend was like a whirlwind of emotions and laughter that left many of us crying, yet with the realization that our personal afflictions are so much bigger than just ourselves—they also belong to so many others within and outside of these granite walls.

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No One

by Marwin I open my eyes, mostly to blink away the tears. My gaze falls upon a pile of a fabric at the end of my bed. Under a thick layer of dust there are multiple patterns and colors. My blankets. They come in and out of focus as I think about my past, the things I’ve done, who I am. If I’m honest with myself, I can see why people say I’m arrogant and selfsh and proud. I can see why people say I’m cold, I’m hard and I’m only interested in winning. Maybe I deserve this. Maybe I

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