Dispatches from Beyond Incarceration - V-Day

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Dispatches from Beyond Incarceration

Roslyn Smith, V-Day’s Beyond Incarceration Project Manager, has been writing blog posts as part of V-Day’s 2019 Spotlight on Women in Prison, Detention Centers, and Formerly Incarcerated Women.

In her newly expanded blog, Dispatches from Beyond Incarceration, Roz writes an ongoing series about her experiences as a formerly incarcerated women, including short and long dispatches on prison reform and prison abolition, often highlighting news articles around the experiences of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, pieces highlighting what she’s thinking about, what she’s worried about, including interviews with formerly incarcerated women, stories from prison, visions of a world without prison, how violence against women leads to women coming to prison and then the violence they experience there, all the while highlighting important data and facts that shed light on incarceration and our commitment to restorative justice models. You will hear from women whose lives have been profoundly impacted by the prison and detention system on issues as far ranging as: trauma and abuse; shackling; transgender experiences; dignity; health and mental health; experiences of long term inmates; the youth/school to prison pipeline; the experiences of mothers and children navigating the immigration system; higher education in prison; and reentry and technology.

Reclaiming Their Inner Light: How a 6-Day Spiritual Retreat Transformed The Lives of Formerly Incarcerated Women

Aug 19, 2024 6 Min read

Life can sometimes feel overwhelming and out of balance in today’s world of uncertainty, chaos, and fear. I was in a challenging place for the past several months and felt like I was at the end of my rope, I just didn’t know what to do about the challenges that were popping up in my life. Yet somehow, the universe seemed to know what I needed, and I had to trust the process. I surrendered and gave in by attending the second workshop in the well-being series called “The Crossover,” which Jennifer Mancuso and

My Reflection on an Emotional and Meaningful Film Screening: Beyond Bars

Jul 2, 2024 3 Min read

I was honored and excited to be invited to participate in a panel discussion following the New York screening of Chesa Boudin’s powerful documentary film Beyond Bars. This was my first time seeing the movie, and it proved to be an incredibly moving and emotional experience for me. The film chronicles Chesa’s life growing up, visiting his parents in prison – one of whom was my dear friend, mentor, and confidante, Kathy Boudin. Watching the years go by on screen, seeing Chesa make those regular trips to Bedford Hills, hit me viscerally. I was

The Freeher March in Washington, DC: A Powerful Call for Justice and Clemency

May 21, 2024 5 Min read

FREEHER 10th Anniversary On April 24th, 2024, a historic event took place in Washington, D.C., as more than a thousand passionate individuals gathered to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Freeher march. This monumental event, organized by “The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls,” was a significant step towards highlighting the unique challenges faced by women in prisons. The movement aimed to advocate for the rights of incarcerated women and demand clemency for those who have been incarcerated for decades. Participants from different parts of the United States came together

Empowering Justice: Right/Write to Heal’s Inspiring Journey to Beyond the Bars Conference in Nairobi

Jan 31, 2024 8 Min read

The Right/Write to Heal Initiative is a joint project of the Columbia Center for Justice and V-Day’s Beyond Incarceration Project. Through Right/Write to Heal, women share how they cope with the consequences of incarceration on themselves, their families and communities, with the goal of changing how people understand the impact of criminalization on women. Writing and storytelling are therapeutic interventions for people who have experienced loss and trauma, and can lead to healing, redemption, and intimacy when shared collectively and with others who have been impacted. The goal is to humanize the unique individual

The Transformative Power of Spoken Word: “Right/Write to Heal” New York Joins Abolition Night in Portland, Maine

Jul 6, 2023 7 Min read

In a powerful display of solidarity and creative expression, participants from Right/Write to Heal New York traveled to Portland, Maine, to participate in the second annual “Abolition Night” at the STRAND THEATRE in Rockland, Maine. The Right/Write to Heal Initiative is a joint project of the Columbia Center for Justice and V-Day’s Beyond Incarceration Project. Through Right/Write to Heal, women share how they cope with the consequences of incarceration on themselves, their families and communities, with the goal of changing how people understand the impact of criminalization on women. Writing and storytelling are therapeutic

“FREEHER CONFERENCE – DETROIT” Dispatches from Beyond Incarceration by Roz

Nov 8, 2022 10 Min read

The 5th annual FreeHer conference brought together formerly incarcerated women and directly affected people. Activists, advocates, experts, policymakers, and supporters from across the country came to connect and share ideas and resources to work collectively toward ending the incarceration of women and girls and creating systems to empower themselves and their communities. The event featured armchair conversations, panel discussions, abolition and social justice organizations, networking opportunities, speakers, breakout rooms, and more. The following is my journal reflections on the conference as it was taking place. The annual FreeHer is underway and I am excited

What’s Happening With Bail Reform in New York

Apr 1, 2022 3 Min read

I had the opportunity to go to the New York state capitol in Albany three times in March with Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) to urge lawmakers not to sign onto Governor Hochul’s plan to push back bail reform. It is appalling that she wants to implement the passage of her 10-point public safety plan into the budget with bail reform and rollbacks as a caveat. This controversial safety plan and budget is an insult to all advocates and activists who have diligently worked to protect the most marginalized people in our city

Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center

Dec 3, 2021 5 Min read

New $10 Million Women’s Re-entry Center Opens in Maine» After three years of parole supervision, New York State finally discharged me. As a free woman, my excitement brewed for my first visit to Maine. Cheryl Wilkins and Yolanda-Peterkin Johnson accompanied me. We wanted to connect with the women in our group, Right/Write to Heal, for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in New York and Maine and see them in person. Cheryl and Yolanda were also crucial speakers in the Abolition Night at the Strand Theater. I couldn’t have had better companions. I admire these

The Closing of Rosie’s

Dec 3, 2021 3 Min read

On October 13, 2021, several organizations came together to protest closing the death camp; closing this death chamber has been a long-standing issue for advocates of criminal justice reform and abolitionists throughout New York State for decades. The crumbling infrastructure, the infestation of rodents, inhumane living conditions, the onset of COVID-19, and the ongoing deplorable abuse from staff and persons in custody have resulted in far too many deaths. I remember back in 1979 being shipped off to Rikers Island at 17 years of age. I was petrified because of the stories I heard

Remembering Val Gaiter

Aug 25, 2021 2 Min read

With the pandemic’s devastating effects on the prison communities and the world, this year has been tough on all of us. August 12th, 2021, was a day criminal justice advocates set aside to remember the life of Valerie Gaiter, my co-defendant. Val never received the proper medical evaluation and attention that could have saved her life. She also was never granted clemency. A group of formerly incarcerated women, men, and several assembly members came together for Val Gaiter: Chris Burdick, Carmen De La Rosa, Julian Salazar, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Harvey Epstein, Taylor Darling Latrice

California Journey: With A Little Piece Of Light

Jun 24, 2021 4 Min read

As an advisory board member of Donna Hylton’s A Little Piece of Light, I was invited to attend the organization’s trip to touch base with their California partners. A Little Piece of Light is a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower and facilitate healing for women, girls, and gender-fluid individuals who are directly impacted by trauma and involvement in the criminal justice system. Our flight was on time and we all settled in for the 6-hour trip. We were fully vaccinated and excited to be traveling again. We arrived, and LaVell Baylor, Deputy

A Little Piece of Light Summer BBQ

Jun 3, 2021 2 Min read

Donna Hylton is a Jamaican-American author and criminal justice activist. She founded, A Little Piece of Light, the non-profit, which bears the same name as her book, both created out of her lived experience of 27 years of incarceration. Ms. Hylton pulled off a fantastic event in the community of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Since her release, she has been a staunch advocate for the rights of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, cis, trans, and those who hold fluid identities. Her work and dedication to this cause have led her to speak at the Women’s

Formerly Incarcerated Women Meeting the Needs of Their Communities

Apr 2, 2021 3 Min read

According to the Sentencing Project, the number of incarcerated women increased by more than 700%, rising from a total of 26,378 in 1980 to 222,455 in 2019.1 Though many more men are in prison than women, the rate of growth for female imprisonment has been twice as high as that of men since 1980. Nationally, about 1 in 8 (13%) of all individuals released from state prisons and more than 1 in 6 (18%) jail releases are women.2 We rarely hear the stories of women after they have been home and what their lives

100 Women 100 Days – Report from My Trip to DC to Advocate for Incarcerated Women’s Release from Prison

Apr 2, 2021 4 Min read

The pandemic hit hard and restricted our travels, so I have not had the opportunity to travel and report on criminal justice reform issues since early 2020. This was my first time visiting Washington D.C. and I was proud to be doing it in a capacity to advocate for incarcerated women’s release from prison. There are over 200,00 women incarcerated in prisons across the United States. The United States incarcerates1 more people than any other country in the world. On March 12th, I traveled to DC to participate in a campaign with The National

A Meaningful Journey: Discussing Re-entry with New Hour’s Emerge Group

Sep 27, 2020 3 Min read

A Meaningful Journey: Discussing Re-entry with New Hours’ Emerge Program: In today’s world, where second chances are often hard to come by, some organizations stand as beacons of Hope for those who have faced the challenges of reentry into society after incarceration. New Hour, a remarkable non-profit organization, is one such Beacon. New Hour is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting justice-impacted women and providing successful support for mothers and children seeking a fresh start. It is located in Brentwood, Long Island, a far cry from my roots in the bustling city of Brooklyn,

“Menstrual Equity” by Roslyn Smith, V-Day Beyond Incarceration Project Manager

Sep 15, 2020 5 Min read

Most women don’t think twice about where they are going to acquire menstrual products, yet that is not the case for incarcerated women in prison, jails, detention centers and women’s shelters across the United States. Incarcerated individuals and other people in the criminal justice system often have to resort to begging or bargaining with staff[1]for basic hygiene needs. Thirty-eight states do not require prisons to provide menstrual products[2] to incarcerated people. The voices of incarcerated women are not broadcast as loudly as their male counterparts. Now that the influx of women coming to prison has vastly increased,

“Free in the Time of Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter Movement” by Roslyn Smith, V-Day Beyond Incarceration Project Manager

Jun 9, 2020 4 Min read

“We are a society that has been structured from top to bottom by race. You don’t get beyond that by deciding not to talk about it anymore. It will always come back; it will always reassert itself over and over again.” – Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw I was released from prison in October of 2018 and have been home now for a year and eight months. I remember counting the years and days of my confinement with a heavy heart, now I count my days of freedom with pleasure and gratitude. We measure time in

“Covid-19: The First Reported Death at The Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women” by Roslyn Smith, V-Day Beyond Incarceration Project Manager

May 4, 2020 3 Min read

Covid-19 is an unprecedented and unpredictable global crisis, a defining moment in our history. This virus has affected everyone, but not equally. The deep structural inequalities in economics, health care systems, prisons, race, class and gender around the world are being exposed with devastating results to the most vulnerable people, particularly women. The general population at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility was informed about the death of a fellow resident Lulu, on April 29th, 2020. There were 627 women housed there; now one is gone and we mourn for her with her family and

“Covid-19 & Incarceration” by Roslyn Smith, V-Day Beyond Incarceration Project Manager

Mar 21, 2020 4 Min read

This virus is affecting all of us, those in prison are especially vulnerable. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, nearly 2.3 million people are held in prisons and jails nationwide (Prison Policy Initiative). Prison populations cannot “self-isolate,” “social distance” or “flatten the curve,” nor are they allowed sanitizing gel or disinfectant liquids because it is considered contraband. Most of the time they don’t even have running water in their cells. Prison populations tend to have higher rates of elderly people (due to longer sentences) with serious health issues. In

Life In Prison

Nov 18, 2019 2 Min read

Gabriel Sanchez’ article “Here’s What It’s Like For A Woman To Serve Life In Prison” (Buzzfeed, September 12, 2019, by Gabriel H. Sanchez) highlights the work of Sara Bennet’s “PhotovilleNYC”, who represented me in the early 90’s when I was applying for clemency. My first petition was sent when Governor Pataki was in office and then another one when Patterson took over, both denied my petitions. The women in this article, (many of whom I know) from my 39 years spent at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, the only maximum security prison for women

Babies Behind Bars

Nov 18, 2019 2 Min read

“Women’s prison opens nursery for mothers, babies behind bars” (The Blade, September 16, 2019, Kaitlin Durbin) The women’s prison in Marysville, Ohio has just opened up a new $2 million dollar addition to their nursery for women to promote family bonding. It is refreshing to know that some states in the US are seeing the importance of having a child bond with their mother despite the fact they they are incarcerated. Statistics have proven that the more social experience a child has with a person, the more likely the child will become attached to

A FREE WOMAN’S HUNT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Nov 18, 2019 5 Min read

I am having the most incredible experience of trying to find housing after being incarcerated for 39 years. The graces have been with me and I have a dream job thanks to the connections I acquired while incarcerated, yet the picture is still not complete. I need a place to call my own. It’s been 10 months that I’m free and I have been faced with so many harsh realities of just what freedom looks like, feels like and actually is, especially for women such as myself, whose past includes having served a lengthy

Opioid Addiction

Nov 18, 2019 1 Min read

Opioid addiction is just one component of mass incarceration. In the past several years it has bombarded our daily news feed. We hear about the opioid crisis throughout the United States and different approaches to ending it, creating safe measures to eliminate overdoses or finding ways to help people who have been diagnosed with this condition. This is a major breakthrough because years ago while black and brown people and war veterans were addicted no one really cared. They were sent to prison and jails or just left to die in the streets. I

Dispatches from Beyond Incarceration

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