California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

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Over the last decade, I have worked with Red Ladder Theatre Company, teaching improvisation and devised theatre to incarcerated men and women. As a Lead Facilitator with Red Ladder, I lead workshops and construct curriculum for the arts and corrections program in various prison facilities. Our program runs in twelve week cycles. The first six weeks are spent on the building blocks of theatre. Focusing on the use of imaginary objects, characters, locations, the "when," and "why" of the scene, our work bridges the gap for our participants between their humanity and their artistry. The latter six weeks are spent devising a play based on issues that the men and women we work with want to discuss. Some of these issues might be what is happening in the world, or often times something from their own personal experience. Through this work, we are assisting in creating and encouraging, creative processing and thinking skills, interpersonal communication, self-reflective accountability, creative problem solving, and a fun process that asks our participants to put their empathy at the forefront of their rehabilitation process.

Through this work, I have learned so much about not only the carceral system but about myself as a Black woman in the space with predominately Black and Brown male bodies. I stand as a representation of their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, sisters, daughters, and friends and showing up as my authentic self is imperative to our relationship in the work and our relationship as human beings.

This work is transformative and necessary for the rehabilitation process. Theatre is necessary. Without it, there is no empathy or consideration for the other perspective. I believe with the work that I am doing in prison, that I am changing the lives of the men and women that I work with in profound ways. And they are changing mine.  Being able to experience their transformation with them in "real time" is amazing and inspiring. I am forever changed with this work.