Activation Kit - Envisioning Justice RE:ACTION

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How Others Envision Justice

Michael H. Brownstein
Unbarred Poetics

Aaron
Remaking the Exceptional: Tea, Torture, and Reparations

Anonymous
Truth, Facts, Reality | Stories, Claims, Lies

Illinois Humanities staff
Remaking the Exceptional: Tea, Torture, and Reparations

Antwoinette Ayers
Unbarred Poetics

Envisioning Justice
Breath Scores

Excerpt of a poem, reading: "Edwardo's Father stands in the doorway of my classroom, a large cumulus cloud and waits for permission to enter."

By Michael H. Brownstein

In response to Unbarred Poetics prompt

"Edwardo's Father"

Written in response to “Small Illuminations” by Tara Betts

Edwardo’s Father
stands in the doorway of my classroom,
a large cumulus cloud and waits for permission to enter.
He sits in the chair by my desk,
tells me he wants to be a part of his son’s circle.
Later, he tells me what I already know,
why he is here after so many missed years,
how he was let out a few days ago–
Any advice on how to catch up?
I walk him to my doorway, tell him to go first,
and go with him to the outside door
where he waits for me to tell him it’s OK.
Somethings we take for granted, but he, not ready,
has a boulder of probation against his skin,
a pathway full of jagged stone
and, he shoeless, trying to maneuver a way.
Outside, his shoulders slump,
he turns, gives me a somewhat smile,
and bending his head, enters the storm of blue sky.

By Aaron

In response to Remaking the Exceptional: Tea, Torture, and Reparations prompt

Episode 5: Trees, Solidarity, and Struggle

The most important thing was just taking the time to be together and connect. Our gathering brought survivors of the military industrial complex and prison industrial complex together over cups of tea. Having the opportunity for veterans and people returning from prison to share was extremely powerful. All of the connections from language to shared traumas and yet within all the entanglements so many differences to acknowledge and question. The activation gave us the opportunity to be together, reflect, share, and learn while being grounded in personal experiences that question the normalized systems of violence that we all navigate.

By Anonymous

In response to Truth, Facts, Reality | Stories, Claims, Lies prompt

Anonymous Submission

Article: No bail for man charged with fatal attempted carjacking outside Belmont Central restaurant in March | Chicago Sun Times

It was interesting to see the ways that the journalist’s perspective on the case was wholly dependent on the police and the courts, rather than the co-defendants or anyone who knows them.
The words "dignity, justice, truth" surround a roughly drawn tree. Beside it, a hand grasps another hand at the wrist as it tries to write. To the right, a home with the lights on inside has the words "restoration" and "chicago justice project" written on its roof. Above the scene, blue lines of a night sky obscure a slivered moon.

By Illinois Humanities staff

In response to Remaking the Exceptional: Tea, Torture, and Reparations prompt

Episode 1: Maps, Memory, and Violence

Our group had a fantastic experience listening to and discussing episode one of the Remaking the Exceptional podcast. Despite the emotional nature of the content, we were able to use our outrage in response to the stories of police torture to tap into our visions of what a more just world would look like and feel like.

By Antwoinette Ayers

In response to Unbarred Poetics prompt

Written in response to "Welcome to Sunnyside" by Ciara Miller

This here… is about broken people, systems, and mindsets who will arrive in time to a place to be healed.
We’re not broken. But it’s time for us to be healed.
From all the temptations we’ve consumed by desires offered by false hope,
From all the manic trauma introduced to our mind to steer us away from our
destiny,
From every loss and lost battle that forced us to dig into the depths of our reality
And find out how to piece together peace,
From every cycle of turmoil that fulfilled us in a misplaced season,
From every real thing that turned out to be counterfeit,
From all our droughts of emptiness,
From every ill and illegal activity over our life,
From every broken scar hidden in the awkward parts of our past,
it’s time for us to be healed.

 
A group of people holds up drawings and paintings in a classroom

By Envisioning Justice

In response to Breath Scores prompt

Share your prompt response!

Complete a prompt in the Activation Kit and share your response using the submission form in the form of writing, images, audio and music, and videos – every prompt is different! Your contribution could be published here alongside others to complete a growing archive of community responses to mass incarceration.