Two weeks ago, twenty-two community members from Monroe County traveled to join the men at Groveland Correctional Facility for a dialogue surrounding safety and prosperity.
The dialogue occurred with roughly twelve men from Groveland, the majority of which are scheduled to be released to Monroe County within the next few months.
When reflecting on the few hours spent with the men at Groveland, numerous ideas, thoughts, and emotions were bouncing around in my head. The dialogue included several opportunities to speak in both small and large groups. The triads allowed for a more intimate setting, and also gave space for each person to share their views without monopolizing the conversation – their voices were heard, encouraged, and appreciated. Some of the men shared concerns about how Monroe County would respond to their release, opportunity to find jobs, and also if they would feel a sense of community. From community members, I heard mostly a loss of knowing how to help and to break the school-to-prison pipeline, and also a desire to support men returning to our community in a wholesome manner. And when I paused, when I could remind myself to take a breath and listen closely, I kept hearing the same two emotions beneath the myriad of messages: hope and fear.
What dissolves fear? What keeps hope alive? These emotions are two sides of the same coin. A significant factor in the success of our dialogue was continuing to connect with our humanity. The men at Groveland were appreciative of the voluntary nature in which the community showed up. The community group included one police officer and a few DOCCS members. To have these positions of power in attendance for this dialogue on a voluntary basis resonated with the entire dialogue group. As a community member, I was appreciative of the raw honesty in which the men shared about their personal lives, hopes and fears about their future. By creating a bridge of understanding where both parties were able to be honest about their fears, hopes, and worries, I am sanguine about our community growing closer and deeper through honest communication. It starts at the individual level, to personally share our experiences and interactions with the men at Groveland to debunk myths and redirect the conversation so often reported by the media. There is a lot of necessary work to push through in order to shift the paradigm around mass incarceration, but now I found a group of individuals who are also motivated in making that effort.
**My sincerest gratitude for the care and attention put into facilitating this dialogue, which was led by Arun Gandhi, founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute and grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Shannon Richmond, a talented facilitator who also serves as our Associate Director.
**If you are interested in joining our next dialogue at Groveland, please contact Maria at Maria@gandhiinstitute.org so you can start the volunteer paperwork.
