Hello! I’m Alivia.
My journey began two years ago when a class assignment led me to explore the carceral system in the United States. While I had personally experienced the temporary loss of a loved one due to imprisonment, I had no idea how deep and wide the issues surrounding mass incarceration would run–especially when it came to women in prison.
My class assignment led to a year-long research project where I studied the statistics, interviewed incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, and explored standards of care with health professionals on the “outside.” What I learned impacted me deeply.
Between 1980 and 2022, the number of incarcerated women has increased by more than 585%1 yet very little research has been done on this demographic. The stories I have collected deserve to be heard but words and pictograms on on paper (or screen) feel insufficient. Instead, I have a call for submissions to artists in my community, hoping that, together, we can tell the stories of these women through visual art. The journey is just beginning…
Come along with me as we explore the flip side of justice through research, interviews, and art.
*Bureau of Justice Statistics; BJS Prisoners Series (1985-2022).1
