Inside Prison Walls: Finding Internal Safety in External Chaos

06/09/20 • 30 min

In this episode, we interview Joe Rojas on his experience of the prison system’s response to COVID-19. One of the reasons we wanted to investigate the prison system during this pandemic is because the conditions in prisons make containing an infectious disease inherently difficult. This pandemic has disproportionately affected people of color, and with people of color making up a disproportionate percentage of the prison population, one of the things we learned from Joe is that prisons are yet another space where vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by this pandemic.

Joe has been a corrections officer in the prison system for 25 years, and is a member of law enforcement. He refers to himself and other guards, as the forgotten law officers. We realize that law enforcement is a very loaded term right now and is at the center of this long and current battle for racial justice. Joe is a big advocate for his staff and for prisoners alike, and one of his main missions is to make sure everyone in the prison system is treated and protected fairly by management. Joe tells us about the stress that COVID-19 is bringing to the prison staff and inmates, in what can already be a very stressful environment.
As our country continues to fight COVID-19 and racial inequities every day, we want to acknowledge how hard this time is for so many people. We have struggled to figure out how to proceed with this project in a way that values and prioritizes both battles. Our mission in starting this was to highlight people who are working to improve our world by caring for others, and in this time of great turmoil, the stories we have collected from those on the front line of COVID-19 will continue to add to a greater sense of healing and prioritizing of self care, and we are excited to continue to share them with you.

Resources for Suicide Prevention:

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
EAP Hotline (for Prison Staff): https://www.bop.gov/resources/employee_support.jsp#eap
Resources for Inmate Rights:

FAMM: https://famm.org
RAPP: http://rappcampaign.com
ACLU: https://www.aclu.org
Marshall Project: https://www.themarshallproject.org
The Appeal.org: https://theappeal.org

Correctional Association of New York: https://www.correctionalassociation.org/about-cany
John Howard Association of Illinois: https://www.thejha.org
Texas Inmate Families Association: https://tifa.org
Texas Criminal Justice Coalition: https://www.texascjc.org
Read more about Joe's story, the resources provided, and suggested self care activities inspired by his story from the Playing to Live clinical team, on our blog.
Do you know someone working on the front lines of the COVID-19 response? We want to hear from them. Please connect us with them by emailing us at [email protected]. And finally, please subscribe to our podcast, give us a rating, leave a comment, and share the podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. We need your help to share this important story.
A special thanks to Joe for his time. Thanks to Josh Carter for the theme music, find more at https://prettylittlegoat.com, and to Lindsay Bingaman for writing our blog.

FAMM: https://famm.org
RAPP: http://rappcampaign.com
ACLU: https://www.aclu.org
Marshall Project: https://www.themarshallproject.org
The Appeal.org: https://theappeal.org

Previous Episode

Seeking Change: Resources for Helpers

This week we have been reminded, again, that there are many vital battles to fight. The United States and the world have witnessed more brutal killings of innocent people, and communities are standing up to fight for justice. In light of what is currently happening in our country, outside of COVID-19, we have decided to take a moment and pause from releasing a new interview this week. The injustices and traumas are so pervasive that we must stop what we are doing and take action. This pandemic is far from over, however, in alignment with our mission of supporting those on the front lines, we have decided that there are many front lines and right now we want to support those standing up against social and racial injustice.
To honor the fight for justice and the many people who are experiencing persistent and systemic racial inequities each day, we are offering resources which provide information on how to help either through donation or action. Some strong organizations to start with are Black Lives Matter, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Color of Change. Additionally, there is a viral google spreadsheet providing information about bail out funds listed specifically by location, so that you can find your local affiliates. Campaign Zero is working on reforming law enforcement policies from the ground up, you can donate to the George Floyd and ‘I run with Maud’ GoFundMe sites, and sign this petition for justice for Breonna Taylor.
Lastly, for those of you who want to act in person, here is an article from Vice on how to join a protest, during a pandemic, as safely as possible. These protests and this cause are vital, and the call to action to show up for your community is valid; and there is still a virus spreading through our states at the same time, so it’s important to answer that call to action as informed as possible.
Please go to our blog for additional resources and suggestions. We know our list is not exhaustive, so please reach out to us at [email protected] if you have additions and we will continue to update it.
A special thanks to Laura Fuchs for her photography. Thanks to Josh Carter for the theme music, find more at https://prettylittlegoat.com, and to Lindsay Bingaman for writing our blog.

Next Episode

Smiling through Barriers: "Mask Smiles" with Laura Fuchs

In the midst of what feels like every day brings more challenges and unveils more hard truths, our episode this week is dedicated to recharging through moments of hope, grace, and connection. Our interviewee is Laura Fuchs and she is a photographer living in New York City. With a degree in psychology from Barnard and ten years of photography experience, Laura brings incredible empathy and connection to her art.
When the pandemic hit, Laura realized as she walked around New York City that not only did people seem scared, but they weren't even looking at each other anymore. In response to that, she found herself trying to smile at people through her own mask. One day with a passing stranger's returned "smize" she realized that, despite masks, smiles could still be acknowledged and returned and just how special that felt. She began trying it out on a few people by asking if she could photograph them smiling behind their masks and “Mask Smiles” was born.

Laura shares passionately that this project is not to invalidate how hard this time is. Not everyone can smile right now, and she is aware of and respectful of that. She reminds us, “These are smiles of resilience, these are smiles of strength.” And that in the face of all this trauma, it can biologically change your state to force a smile. She has dedicated her project to encouraging emotional connection at a time of physical separation, and has done so in a way which proves how possible that is.
Follow Laura’s project on Instagram: @masksmiles. You can scroll through it, or you can submit photos of you, your loved ones, or those in your community, smiling behind your masks. You can also check out Laura’s other work, including amazing coverage of the protests in New York City, on her personal page: @laurasfuchs.

Let’s help Laura teach people that we can connect through masks. Let’s find ways to stay connected in the face of such divisive times. And let’s get behind this message that we are in this together. It’s our best way through it.

Read more about Laura's interview and the self-care activities from the Playing to Live clinical team inspired by her story on our blog.

Do you know someone working on the front lines of the COVID-19 response? We want to hear from them. Please connect us with them by emailing us at [email protected]. And finally, please subscribe to our podcast, rate us, leave a comment, and share the podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. We need your help to share this important story.
A special thanks to Laura for her time. Thanks to Josh Carter for the theme music (find more at https://prettylittlegoat.com), and to Lindsay Bingaman for writing our blog.