Healing in Prison

Video details

I 'm going home in very few days.
Honestly I did not want to go home.
Been here for 20 years.
And it's people like Miss Jo Dee, she has allowed me to be proud of that now
when I wasn't before.
My name is Jo Dee Davis and I am the Executive Director of Healing Broken Circles,
which provides space for healing and learning for people touched by the justice system.
There are about 2,400 men in this institution.
Most people have a view of prison and prisoners that they aren't of value.
I 'm told by a lot of people these guys aren't worth it, and yet I look around and I see people learning
and see people taking charge of themselves.
To me it doesn't matter what anybody did, I'm not about the past.
It's who you are right now
and it's where you want to go in the future.
I don't think you want the person who came to prison to come live next to you.
I think that you want them to be better.
My name is Michael.
I'm a lifer, I will probably never see the streets,
and I think one of the most important things I do in here is to encourage other people who will.
The men here have histories of trauma and toxic stress that has affected the way they think.
Research is showing the things that really work in healing those traumatic effects
and they are things like yoga, writing and poetry, dancing and singing and doing theater
and being silly and improv.
Those guys are creating new ways of thinking and healing.
You guys know my poetry.
I 'll give you guys the option of " The Missing " or the " I Miss You " piece,
which, which shall I rock?
I Miss You.
Alright that's what I 'll rock.
My name 's Dan, I 've been at Marion for about eleven years.
I 've taken part and been part of every program I think Jo Dee has done.
When I met him he had this buzzcut and he was tough looking
and he 's got hatred written on his neck.
My daily day was just continuing the kind of activity that would bring you to prison, just did it inside of prison.
I looked in his eyes and I thought, " You know what, this, this thing I see out here is not who's in there."
And we 've come a long way since then.

I 'm going home in very few days.
I
in
'm
very
home
going
few
days
Honestly I did not want to go home.
I
go
to
want
did
not
home
Honestly
Been here for 20 years.
for
here
Been
years
And it's people like Miss Jo Dee, she has allowed me to be proud of that now
be
like
that
to
it's
she
of
And
me
has
people
now
Miss
allowed
proud
Dee
Jo
when I wasn't before.
I
when
before
wasn't
My name is Jo Dee Davis and I am the Executive Director of Healing Broken Circles,
is
and
My
I
the
of
am
name
Executive
Dee
Davis
Jo
Director
Healing Broken Circles
which provides space for healing and learning for people touched by the justice system.
and
for
the
people
by
which
system
learning
space
touched
healing
provides
justice
There are about 2,400 men in this institution.
There
are
in
about
this
men
institution
Most people have a view of prison and prisoners that they aren't of value.
and
a
that
they
have
of
people
Most
view
aren't
prison
value
prisoners
I 'm told by a lot of people these guys aren't worth it, and yet I look around and I see people learning
and
I
a
'm
of
look
yet
see
people
around
by
lot
these
guys
learning
aren't
told
worth it
and see people taking charge of themselves.
and
of
see
people
taking
charge
themselves
To me it doesn't matter what anybody did, I'm not about the past.
I'm
the
about
it
did
me
what
not
doesn't
To
past
matter
anybody
It's who you are right now
are
you
It's
right
who
now
and it's where you want to go in the future.
and
you
go
in
the
to
it's
want
where
future
I don't think you want the person who came to prison to come live next to you.
I
you
don't
the
to
want
next to
think
come
who
live
came
person
prison
I think that you want them to be better.
be
I
you
that
to
want
think
better
them
My name is Michael.
is
My
name
Michael
I'm a lifer, I will probably never see the streets,
I
I'm
a
the
will
see
never
probably
streets
lifer
and I think one of the most important things I do in here is to encourage other people who will.
is
and
I
in
the
do
to
of
here
will
things
think
one
people
who
most
other
important
encourage
The men here have histories of trauma and toxic stress that has affected the way they think.
and
The
the
that
they
have
of
here
way
has
think
men
stress
affected
toxic
histories
trauma
Research is showing the things that really work in healing those traumatic effects
is
in
the
that
things
work
really
those
showing
healing
Research
effects
traumatic
and they are things like yoga, writing and poetry, dancing and singing and doing theater
and
are
like
they
things
doing
theater
singing
dancing
writing
yoga
poetry
and being silly and improv.
and
silly
being
improv
Those guys are creating new ways of thinking and healing.
and
are
of
new
Those
guys
ways
thinking
creating
healing
You guys know my poetry.
my
know
You guys
poetry
I 'll give you guys the option of " The Missing " or the " I Miss You " piece,
I
The
the
'll
of
or
You
give
Miss
you guys
piece
option
Missing
which, which shall I rock?
I
rock
which
shall
I Miss You.
I
You
Miss
Alright that's what I 'll rock.
I
'll
rock
what
that's
Alright
My name 's Dan, I 've been at Marion for about eleven years.
My
at
I
for
about
've
name
eleven
's
been
years
Dan
Marion
I 've taken part and been part of every program I think Jo Dee has done.
and
I
of
've
has
think
every
part
been
done
taken
program
Dee
Jo
When I met him he had this buzzcut and he was tough looking
and
I
he
this
was
had
When
looking
met
him
tough
buzzcut
and he 's got hatred written on his neck.
and
on
he
his
got
neck
's
written
hatred
My daily day was just continuing the kind of activity that would bring you to prison, just did it inside of prison.
My
you
the
that
to
of
it
did
was
day
would
inside
just
bring
daily
kind of
prison
continuing
activity
I looked in his eyes and I thought, " You know what, this, this thing I see out here is not who's in there."
is
and
I
in
this
his
out
here
not
see
there
eyes
thing
thought
who's
looked
You know what
And we 've come a long way since then.
a
we
And
way
've
come
long
then
since