we are made of stories

Category: prep note Page 17 of 24

Prep Note 9/26/23

Reading about the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center’s Post-D Program was enlightening because I learned about the different services offered to those in the program. It also discussed how there are certain criteria a person must meet to be in the program, and the approval process they must undergo. The video about the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Facility provided even more information about juvenile incarceration. Watching it made me realize the cold hard reality of being incarcerated at a young age. Everything in your day is structured, and staying connected with family is so difficult because Bon Air is the only juvenile facility in Virginia, so the commutes are often far. I found it atrocious that there is only one juvenile facility in Virginia, so I was happy to find out that some people are advocating for a new one to be built in eastern Virginia. 

As for the reflections on the class syllabus and Endeavor values, I found myself thinking about my progress so far in this class and program. In terms of the class goals, I think I have made some progress on communicating orally. In high school, I often didn’t raise my hand to speak because I was afraid of being judged if I said something I perceived as unintelligent. In this class, however, I am more comfortable with expressing my ideas because it feels like a safe space to say things and move the conversation forward. Also, I have started to become aware of narratives that drive society, specifically, stereotypes about incarcerated people. From the texts we have read and the conversations we heard from our lunch visit, I have been able to debunk negative stereotypes that permeate society in relation to incarceration. For the Endeavor goals, I think I’ve made progress on ethical understanding because I’ve started to realize that my ideas and actions have ethical consequences on the people around me, so I have to be mindful about this.

Lastly, I haven’t thought much about my learning philosophy statement before. If I were to narrow it down into a sentence, I’d say that I value finding meaning in what you learn. If you try to memorize information just to regurgitate it during an exam and forget about it later, that’s not learning to me. I like thinking about how my learning relates to my own life and the world around me.

Question for McConnell: How do correctional facilities prioritize connecting youth with their families and communities?

Prep Note 9/26

I think there’s no one set definition for who the “incarcerated youth” are. Everyone who ends up in those correctional facilities ahas a different story to tell and a world of different experiences. This is part of the reason why I thought the video by The Atlantic rung true when it mentioned building multiple correctional centers throughout the state instead of just having Bon Air. I think this idea goes along with the idea that the people being incarcerated at a young age are all so varied. What works for one person might not work for another, so having multiple different facilities to accommodate people who live in different places or have different backgrounds is a smart move in my opinion. Additionally, since Bel Air wasn’t built for correctional programing, I think a complete renovation of the facility like what was mentioned in the documentary, is a really good idea. By living in a place that’s obviously focused on correction, I’d imagine the youth living there would be more inclined to really work to improve, as opposed to the current Bel Air layout which makes correction feel like an afterthought. I assume there are a bunch of logistical issues that are hampering the progress of these changes, but I think that the effort required to make said changes happen will be well worth it in the long run.

Prep Note – 9/21/2023

Albeit writing this late, the majority of my consensus and thoughts were detailed in my extensive Class Notes. As recalled in class today, one of the interesting points I noticed was how much more they could’ve written and what a broad spectrum of possibility their lives had of material that could’ve made its way into the book but was held back– for either length constraints or mistakenly glorifying experiences.

I thought Terrence to a certain extent was intimidating at first, but soon understood that it was simply his passion over the project. His interactions with Bryce and Kaylee’s questions certainly brought to light the significance of the project in his eyes, and although the tension certainly broke near the end due to the questions asked and bringing laughter, it was a valuable learning experience from all of the guests.

Prep Note 9/21/23

I thought that the lunch with Terence, Kelvin, and David went really well and was extremely insightful. I was surprised that they (especially Terence) were extremely interested in what our goal was in the class. Their goal while writing differed, and our goal as a class seems to be to learn and grow as people. Hearing the men talk about how much they cared and the difference they wanted to make with readers was truly eye-opening. I’m very grateful that they spent time with us, and that they were so open and honest.

Prep Note 9/21

I  definitely enjoyed the lunch conversation we had with Dr. Coogan, Terence, and Kelvin. One thing that struck me, especially on the walk from the parking lot to the dining hall, was the easy camaraderie between all of them. The way that they all interacted with each other was very telling in that they treated each other like normal people. The moment when all of them started laughing about Stan as “the Preacher” felt so human. Also, like a lot of us, I think, I was struck by how real the stories in that book were. I knew – logically – that it was real, but seeing those guys in person really drove it home. Everything – every sad, wrong, or gut-wrenching thing – that they described in the book, whether about their lives or about the criminal justice system, exists in our real world. And I guess the moment we were able to actually lay eyes on them, there was absolutely no avoiding that anymore.

Prep note for 9/21

I am very sad that I was not able to attend the group lunch with Kelvin, Terrence and Dave but Nick’s prep note and Kristine’s reply also gave me really good insight. One thing that surprised me was how much they were interested in us as students and curious to why we choose to take this class. I had envisioned the lunch going more like an interview, students asking visitors a lot of questions but it seemed to end up to be more like a conversation. Something that really stuck with me was “Terrence could’ve written a lot more, and extraordinarily. Could’ve shared so much more. However, his experience wasn’t something to glorify but to help him heal and move forward.” Knowing your limits, and always understanding why you’re doing something and trying to do it for the right reason is so important. Terrence talks about struggling with understanding his identity, but based on his actions I think he is more aware of himself and who he is than he knows.

Prep Note 9/21/23

The lunch visit was different than I expected because we didn’t get the chance to ask all of our questions. It took longer than expected to get each question answered, which was not a bad thing because we got some really in-depth answers from our guests. I also didn’t expect the conversation to go as in-depth as it did. At one point we were discussing how the government works and getting down to the roots of society. This visit changed my understanding of the book by showing me that these stories are absolutely real, and there is a real person attached to each story. Reading a book can give you the false assumption that these stories are a work of fiction, that such a thing can never happen in real life. Upon hearing Kelvin and Terence speak though, it felt so much more real in the saddest way. My understanding of the book was also changed because I realized that so much time has passed since the project began and even when it was published. I think Terence mentioned that they’d been involved in this for 16 years or so, since 2007. That’s a long time to be writing and reflecting and sharing their experiences to audiences like us. To know that all this started in this exact city also changed my understanding of the book. It happened not very far from us, and that in itself is surprising to me. I do wish that this talk was longer though because there were so many questions left unanswered, and I felt like I could listen to them talk forever. But I am grateful for what they offered to us regardless because I learned so much from them. I considered things I never would have thought about, like the word “habilitation” as opposed to “rehabilitation.” Upon Googling, I have discovered that “habilitation” refers to the attainment of skills needed for daily functioning that haven’t developed, whereas “rehabilitation” means gaining back these skills that were lost.

Prep Note 9/21/23

I now realize that Writing Our Way Out (or any other work) could not truly communicate the different time periods that the authors wrote about in their stories. No matter the amount of context and detail provided, readers will always have less of an understanding of the circumstances in which the stories take place than the writers themselves. I saw this demonstrated in a lot of the conversations; It was as if we had missed a large part of what seemed to come naturally to Kelvin and (especially) Terrence. No amount of words can communicate any lived experience authentically, the author must choose what to leave out, which is another great realization I had during the discussion.

Prep Note 9/21

I think the discussion we had with Terrance, Kelvin, and Dr. Coogan as a class was really insightful and engaging. I think one of the most impactful things I learned from the discussion was the outward focus that everyone involved with the project seemed to have. they seemed determined to help educate us, and anyone else who read their book, about their lives and their stories. Kelvin seemed the most adamant about this, saying that his main goal for joining the project was to help others from his background avoid going down the path he had gone down before.

I was surprised by the very serious nature our guests, especially Terrance, talked to us with. Personally, that showed me that he was committed to the project and wanted to take every opportunity he could to impart the knowledge he’s gained from his experiences and show us how important the project was to him.

Prep Note 9-19-23

(Kelvin or Terrance) “In many states, up to 80 percent of the youth who are incarcerated are rearrested within 3 years of release” (CSG Justice Center). What are two pieces of advice you would give to a juvenile?

 

(Dr. Coogan) It’s discussed in the book that many ex-convicts are stigmatized and very disadvantaged when it comes to being employed. How do you look to change the narrative through these writing workshops?

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