Hear Me, See Me

Overview

"...These are radical, revolutionary voices because they dare us to do what society insists we must not:  listen to and care about those who have been cast out and locked away.  If we pause long enough...we just might find the seeds of their liberation and our own." - Michelle Alexander, author, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color-Blindnes

"...by explaining, not excusing, the behavior that led them to prison...sharing the insight they gain about themselves as women and parents, they can give their children the...love that all children need. This is...important for their children's caregivers, judges, child welfare authorities, and prison officials who determine how their relationships with their children will be sustained." - Elizabeth Gaynes, J.D., Executive Director, The Osborne Association, Bronx, NY

"...a remarkable collection of writings by women behind bars who speak with breathtaking honesty, deep pain, surprising humor and hard-won self knowledge...women with whom you may feel you have nothing in common. Yet...they speak of...universal truths we can all relate to." - Ellen M. Barry, Executive Director, Insight Prison Project

"...This compelling account of life 'inside' needs to inform our gender-responsive policies and practices for imprisoned women going forward." - Stephanie S. Covington, Ph.D., Co-director, Center for Gender and Justice, La Jolla, CA"These straight-from-the-gut writings by incarcerated women will break your heart and put it back together again ... This is sure to become a classic in the growing body of prison literature."-Sister Helen Prejean, author, Dead Man Walking

Powerful, unvarnished prose and poetry by women imprisoned in Vermont, survivors of every kind of trauma, abuse, and addiction, whose individual and collective works explore and transcend the physical and spiritual trials of their lives

Compiled and introduced by writinginsideVT’s co-founders and facilitators, writers and activists Marybeth Christie Redmond and Sarah W. Bartlett, Hear Me, See Me is a book of deep insight and inspiration, providing readers with

• First-person stories of ‘broken’ women alight with the human spirit

• A witness to the power of writing to cultivate individual voice and healthy community

• Challenges to examine their own faith/spiritual lives through the lens of some of the most marginalized human beings on the planet

• A “call to action” to accept responsibility for transforming a prison system that robs people of human dignity

• Encouragement for other women (and men) offenders to participate in prison writing programs as one modality to begin healing their lives

Marybeth C. Redmond has worked as a writer-journalist for 25 years. She also serves as a regular commentator for Vermont Public Radio. As a journalist, Marybeth has reported for TV news stations in New York, Connecticut and Indiana, as well as enterprising stories about developing world issues throughout Latin America. She served as media relations director for the Maryknoll Missioners, responsible for pitching hundreds of newsworthy stories to national media (1999-2003); and taught writing & reporting to students at St. Michael's College in Colchester, VT (2003-2009). Most recently, she worked as executive director of Dismas of Vermont, a nonprofit organization providing supportive transitional housing for men and women leaving Vermont's prisons. Her interest in incarceration was sparked by her friendship with a man incarcerated in New York State for 23 years. Marybeth holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master's from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in New York City.

Since 2004, Sarah W. Bartlett has operated Women Writing for (a) Change®-Vermont, LLC, a spiritually-based creative writing program that guides women to their deepest questions, holding safe space to explore and nurture writing for individual growth and social change. During the 25 years previous, Sarah was planner and marketer in Boston area teaching hospitals and social service agencies. Her interest in working with underserved populations started with her first high school job with Head Start. She is widely published, and an experienced writing coach and facilitator. Both linguist and change-agent, she holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and master's and doctorate degrees from Harvard University.