“ We believe the time is overdue for women impacted by the justice system to tell their own stories , in their own voices , about how they experienced incarceration and what it has done to their lives on the inside and after being released , acknowledging the harm we have done and the trauma we experienced on our journeys to healing .”
— RIGHT / WRITE TO HEAL
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 and collective experiences of women , particularly women of color , who from early in their lives face racism , violence , and structural barriers that lead to punishment and imprisonment .
In April , Right / Write to Heal collaborated with Rehabilitation Through the Arts ( RTA ) and Human Pictures to release an animated short film entitled “ Doing Time : A Women ’ s View ”, featuring writings by members Jonel Beauvais , Judy Clark , Leah Faria , Selina Fulford , Latisha Morris , Harmony , Betsy Ramos , Edna Sams , Roslyn Smith , and Cheryl Wilkins .
In the coming months , V-Day will release a StoryCorps series of powerful stories from the Right / Write to Heal group .
THIS JUST IN ! Right / Write to Heal was recently granted access to both Taconic and Bedford Hills correctional facilities to do writing groups . This is a full circle moment for Roz , who was a participant in V ’ s writing group at Bedford Hills for years .