by redclay | May 1, 2023 | Visual Arts
April 25, 2023, Arlington County Detention Facility (ACDF): Our art teacher Sharmila Karamchandani ran into some unplanned chaos today and yet she and the women in the general population of the ACDF still found plenty to be grateful for. Here’s a shortened version of Sharmila’s story:
In the middle of chaos can you still find some gratitude? Before we started the workshop there was an incident with one of the inmates and we got delayed in starting our workshop which, to begin with, we had very little time for art. Now in a matter of 40 minutes, I had to explain the project, hear what they had to say, and also it was the last day with this unit I also had to get their evaluations for the program.
The project I had prepared was for them to make a gratitude tree. Most of them were still anxious and a bit shaken up by the incident and one of them was unable to draw at first as they were still trembling and here I go telling them to be grateful. Trust me, I too wouldn’t be able to pull out much if I was in their shoes. But these ladies are super resilient, they took all the instructions in and finished the project, shared with a loving heart as if nothing had happened just half an hour ago, and found so many things to be grateful for.
I ask them how they felt after the project. One of them who previously was anxious and unable to draw, genuinely thanked me saying “Thank you your project really helped me calm down and I no longer feel any anxiety”. And that’s the power of Art!!
by redclay | Sep 16, 2022 | Detention Center Writing Contests, Poetry
Correct
by Christ Joshua M. Fletcher
Poetry, Arlington County Detention Facility/Heard/OAR writing contest, August 2022
Correct does it need to be corrected
Correctly has no matter being correction
When a newborn entered its life healthy it’s correct.
As its life have see’s other live’s doing or has done wrong & not applied to it is corrected.
Being aware of the unwealthy & still live correctly does not have time nor space
being within correction.
As thee matter which means subject, object, or person taking up space needs to be corrected.
Correctly when & or as not applied an person of correction will address you correct.
Well no-thing’s nothing will appear & as nobody even no one shall arrive to have you corrected.
Even each entire Dept. sheriff correction officer will be corrected.
Head of chain of command leads correctly
by male man made laws correct, confirm, complete, correction, corrected,
CORRECTLY!?…
by redclay | Sep 16, 2022 | Detention Center Writing Contests, Poetry
by Thomas Carlos Felder, Jr.
Poetry, Arlington County Detention Facility/Heard/OAR writing contest, August 2022
They see balance and they want to challenge or damage.
Thy heart <3 wants thy mind can’t percieve,
Bring in this state of pandemic a lot
of people run off envy and greed.
Our children look up to us
To balance their lives,
but from sitting in a 4×6 cell,
They can’t see how much we cry.
A true balance of life metaphoricly speaking
sometimes our heart <3 will die within.
We all miss our kin
Sometimes we have to tell our children,
beautiful lies to keep them happy inside.
Once is all it takes to upsetting thier normal lives,
That’s why it’s a must to have balance of life! 😊
by redclay | Sep 16, 2022 | Detention Center Writing Contests, Poetry
by Hassen Hassen
Poetry, Arlington County Detention Facility/Heard/OAR writing contest, August 2022
How can we protect our goals;
When we are not being keepers of each other souls?
Obsessed with our past;
too blind to see our present.
Too caught up in current trash;
To understand our future’s present.
In a tureen; lost in a sea of oblivion;
looking for away out; out this morass material.
Reaching for a hand; to pull us up.
Event a rope or a ladder might make us jump.
Shedding tears of joy; and smiles of sorrow;
painfully hoping and happily despiring.
With pain so deep, like the marrow’s in our bones;
And comradery so fake, like a cartoon’s souls.
We both hungry for just a little refuge;
But, all we feed each other is plates of subterfuge.
Brainwashed to inure less;
When we are supposed to be our best.
How do we protect our goals;
When we are not keepers of each other souls?
So, place me deep, where you look within;
abyssed in your soul when you need a friend.
Place it dearly next to your heart,
But never negated when we are apart.
And even thought we have different mothers;
That doesn’t mean we can’t be prison brothers.
by redclay | Sep 16, 2022 | Detention Center Writing Contests, Poetry
by Christ Joshua M. Fletcher
Poetry, Arlington County Detention Facility/Heard/OAR writing contest, August 2022
11-B
Mental Health Lied
D. H. S
Evil igh atan
Q Asked have she called my family? Hel-Nawh Requested to communicate/
Lack of honesty contact.
Time frame is lest then #5-10 mins.
They’re response is always’s:
OK-, Alright; Yeah; or nobodie answered;
Lies!
I will try still lying! ORE ye know!
Never a correct complete answer!
Right: Some-thing (Left) wrong w/that answer
bcuz (No-thing’s) nothing is
OK, or right, or alright (which is changing
the chain of correct verbal communiteation
left wrong!….
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