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By Judith Trustone When I was contracted to teach a creative writing class at Graterford, the 5th largest maximum security prison in the country, I had no idea that 6 years later I’d be running a national, non-profit organization dedicated to giving voice to the voiceless. Like most middle-class white people, I had no idea what goes on in prisons, though from my involvement in the civil rights, peace and feminist movements, I knew they were bad places. As a writer, I thought I’d get some interesting scenes to use later and maybe some interesting tales. But when I listened, and my students presented evidence of their innocence, I was, as Sister Helen Prejean, wrote in Dead Man Walking, cracked wide open. I was shocked by the brutality, the dehumanization and the total ineffectiveness of our prison system, which I call Shadow America where we warehouse our Thrownaway People. Let me state clearly that there are some violent people from whom the community must be protected, and there are many dedicated people working in prisons. But the majority of those we incarcerate are poor people, mostly of color, 70% of whom can’t read, 70% of whom have addictions and are imprisoned due to Draconian sentencing laws passed in the 80’s. After a few months, as I discovered brilliance behind bars, I was determined to wake up America with their stories. My goal wasn’t just to publish a book about their lives but to awaken public compassion so we can create alternatives to this expensive, ineffective 19th Century system. The first half of Celling America’s Soul is their stories and those of their loved ones. Involving the families was crucial, for I wanted to show how the broken criminal justice system impacts on all of us. I selected Infinity because it was an easy drive from my house! Special Projects Director John F. Harnish was skeptical at first about there being a market for a book by and about prisoners. But I was on a mission and would not be discouraged. I was inspired by the 19th century journalist, Nellie Bly, whose insight into mental hospitals recorded in Bedlam proved crucial in improving conditions. When prison officials learned that I was bringing out stories of the truth from behind prison walls, they began to harass me, and I began to feel just a tiny bit of what life behind bars is like. When they wanted me to submit to a full-body search, I refused, saying this was rape; I quit or was fired, depending on whom you ask. This only strengthened my passion for justice. My book project continued, with lots of letters and phone calls. When Celling America’s Soul came out, prison officials confiscated it and the book was banned. I threatened to tell all on “Oprah”, so they lifted the ban. The prisoners were ecstatic; their families sold the books from the trunks of their cars in the inner city and in neighborhood beauty and barber shops where mothers autographed copies for their sons. Prisoners call it the best book in print that describes prison from most every perspective. They said they finally exist. In an Oklahoma prison, they read the only copy as a group. Parents use it as a prevention tool with troubled teens. College professors use it in their criminology classes. Publishing a book is like starting a new business. While I was known and respected by the prisoners involved, I still had to establish credibility within the Black community and those involved in criminal justice reform. This has taken time, but I am now being invited to speak at conferences and have become nationally known as an advocate for imprisoned writers. Too often, people get material from prisoners and then leave and do their thing, leaving the prisoners feeling exploited. I’ve worked hard to keep this from happening by maintaining communication and sending them each a
share of royalties. A Washington-based foundation sent out e-mails about SageWriters books to thousands of college libraries. Through that mailing, I’ve connected with a criminology professor, a new SageWriter, who has two books in progress. An unexpected source of support has been inmates on death row, many of whom have international connections, especially in Europe. Tom Gregory, Infinity’s visionary president, gave his full support to SageWriters and Infinity has honored me as one of their Authors Who Make A Difference. Last year, SageWriters produced two more books, Healing Our Imprisoned Minds: A People’s Guide to Hope & Freedom by SageWriters Senior Editor, Patrick Middleton, Ph.D., the ONLY prisoner in America to earn his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. while incarcerated, and Contemplations of a Convict: A Journey To Freedom When Innocence Isn’t Enuf by SageWriters Program Consultant Anton Forde. Each book needs its specific marketing approach, something I now know about thanks to Infinity’s annual conferences. Here’s how it works. As much as possible, using prisoners’ skills and expertise, we decide to accept a manuscript. Then I identify a volunteer Mentor, someone willing to type the manuscript onto a CD prior to publication. When appropriate, I use prisoners’ art inside or for the cover. I approach sympathetic Patrons, who pay the cost of the set-up. I recruit Reviewers to read and review our books and to help get special sections of independent bookstores dedicated to the work of prisoners. The first $500 in royalties goes back to SageWriters to fund a book by another imprisoned writer. Each of these volunteers is transformed as they connect with the humanity of the author. We have ten more books at various stages in the pipeline. After funding all of this myself, after six years I realized that I had to set up a non-profit and seek foundation support. At Infinity’s conference in 2003, John Kremer told me that Celling America’s Soul was a national book, not to waste too much time on local press, and to write a screenplay treatment of the book and get it to Susan Sarandon’s production company, that “she’ll love this book!” I connected with an experienced screenwriter, producer, and director, got a grant from the Leeway Foundation for women artists, and we’re ready to have an agent shop the screenplay treatment around. Judith Trustone is the Director of SageWriters.com, Box 215, Swarthmore, PA 19081; co-author with 7 prisoners, Celling America’s Soul: Torture & Transformation In Our Prisons, published by Infinity in 2003. She has earned national acclaim for her efforts to expand awareness about the treatment of prisoners.
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