Hello, folks!  As I was out of town last week, I have a shorter update for you.  I want to spend my time today talking about the Art & Spirituality Group, which I haven’t yet talked much about here.  As I’m sure many of you know, Emmanuel Church runs and funds a weekly card-making group in the women’s unit of the Suffolk County House of Correction.  I have had the privilege of helping lead the group every Monday.

This group provides an opportunity for incarcerated women to spend an hour or so engaging in creativity. It serves as a restful reset in the midst of an often chaotic and stressful environment. An objective of the group is to make a card or letter to send out to a family member or loved one.  Many women, however, make artwork for themselves to add color to their units, or for other women in their unit to encourage them or express gratitude.

It has been incredibly powerful to witness the resilience, compassion, and strength of our group members and to build professional relationships with many of them over my internship year. I’ve been humbled to learn about an entirely separate world and life experience that, due to my own privilege, I knew so little about. Learning about the carceral system and the reality of what it means to be incarcerated has emphasized for me the importance and necessity of such groups, which serve as a support system, a respite,  a deep breath, a shared laugh, and an acknowledgement of the current moment and all that it brings.  I am so thankful for the experience of working alongside these women and hope to continue to work with incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated individuals in my future practice.

Until next week, be well!  Smell a flower, wave hello to a dog, full-teeth smile at a stranger, call an old friend.   We all need each other!

– Alex Shoemaker