Pandemic Reflections on Incarceration with Sarah Sherman

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Description

This is an intensive writing workshop for individuals currently incarcerated in the Maine Department of Corrections system, especially veterans. Participants will explore several questions, including how the pandemic has affected them and other inmates, as well as their family and friends. The final products will be written essays that reflect what life is like in the Maine prison system during the COVID-19 quarantine.

Instructor Bio

Sarah Sherman is Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services. She has a BA in English with a minor in Behavioral Science from the University of Maine at Augusta, and a Master’s in Criminal Justice from Boston University. She has published eight books, four of them involving Maine veterans’ life histories. She created and facilitated a weekly writing group at the Kennebec County Jail for incarcerated veterans, and ran a weekly support group for incarcerated women, which utilized writing as a means of therapy. She enjoys working with students, challenging them to try something new and outside their comfort level (like Shakespeare’s plays), and watching them gain confidence in themselves and their writing.

Artist’s Statement

Incarcerated individuals represent one of the most marginalized groups in our society, even in normal times. In the past few months, inmates have been denied visits with their family and friends, which has changed their perspective of their incarceration and their relationships. Giving inmates the ability to express how the pandemic has affected them will provide an outlet for their emotions and provide others with a glimpse of life behind bars during the COVID-19 pandemic.