If your words had the power to change a heart, a mind, or a policy, what would you choose? This question, which most of us might consider hypothetical,  has opened new ways for many incarcerated individuals across the country to find a new purpose  as they reflect upon their past and envision new futures. “Writing Beyond the Prison: Reimagining the Carceral Ecosystem with Incarcerated Authors,” a public humanities project funded by the American Council of Learned Societies (ALCS), celebrated the launching of an online writing curriculum for use in carceral settings and a “living archive” of incarcerated individuals’ work digitally preserved in the SBU library. This event brought together scholars, activists, and formerly and currently incarcerated individuals to discuss the transformative power of writing within the carceral system.

This project not only provided valuable resources for education and advocacy but also underscored the importance of creative expression in the rehabilitation process. Through storytelling, incarcerated individuals are able to reclaim their narratives and challenge the ways they have been defined by the carceral system. Attendees heard pieces created by incarcerated individuals, saw animated short films of some of the work come to life, and had the opportunity to hear directly from incarcerated author and activist Ivan Kilgore, who joined the conversation via telephone call from his cell in Solano State Prison. 

The thought-provoking conversation was preceded by a keynote address from Lawrence Bartley, the publisher of The Marshall Project Inside. Bartley, a formerly incarcerated journalist, has worked tirelessly to bring accurate, trustworthy news to incarcerated audiences through News Inside and its companion video series, Inside Story. His keynote addressed the role of the media in reshaping the narrative around incarceration and empowering marginalized voices.

The event, supported by the Center for Changing Systems of Power and the Humanities Institute at Stony Brook,  served as a powerful reminder of the need for systemic reform. It reinforced the idea that writing, education, and media can help dismantle the prison-industrial complex and give incarcerated people the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society.

For more information about the Writing Beyond the Prison project, visit their website. 

Take a look at this event from a student perspective.