Thousand Kites helps New Mexico families connect to their loved ones behind bars
With almost 15,000 New Mexicans incarcerated and another approximately 24,000 on probation or parole, Szuberla will share communication practices that allow engagement with incarcerated family members in a way that is cost effective.
“Communication between an inmate and their community helps strengthen relationships which effectively decreases the recidivism rate,” says Media Literacy Project Campaign Coordinator Laura M. Montoya. “Research has repeatedly shown that inmates who maintain strong connections with their families are less likely to make incarceration a way of life.”
Szuberla’s visit is aligned with Media Literacy Project’s Strong Families initiative. The Strong Families campaign is founded on the idea that families are the cornerstone to healthy communities. Healthy and strong families in New Mexico come in a variety of configurations including incarcerated families and the families of immigrant detainees.
“There are good parents in prison and communication restrictions impact families negatively on both sides of the wall,” says Montoya. “Over half of American inmates have children and more than 80% of those parents stay in touch with their children while incarcerated. It is those connections that keep community members from returning to prison and additionally discourages their children from going into prison.”
The Prison Justice workshop with Szuberla is cohosted by La Plazita Institute and will take place at their South Valley location (831 Isleta Boulevard SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105). The training is limited to 30 participants. R.S.V.P. with Laura Montoya at Media Literacy Project via phone (505.828.3377) or e-mail (laura@medialiteracyproject.org). Dinner will be served at 5:30pm and the training will begin at 6pm and end at 8:30pm.
Since 1998 Szuberla has been connecting inmates in the Appalachian region to their families as host of the region's only hip-hop radio program, Lights Out. Szuberla received hundreds of letters from inmates recently transferred from distant cities into two new, local SuperMax prisons. The prisoners’ letters described racism and human rights violations. Szuberla responded by coordinating a series of artistic projects, including bringing hip-hop artists together with mountain musicians and organizing radio broadcasts for prisoners’ families. (You can access some of the prisoners’ stories at http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6220/content_item/prison-phone-action.)
Both Media Literacy Project and Thousand Kites act as anchor organizations in the Media Action Grassroots Network (MAG-Net). MAG-Net is a local-to-local advocacy network of grassroots community organizations working together for media change to end poverty, eliminate racism, and ensure human rights.
Media Literacy Project is a non-profit organization that advances education and advocacy for media justice.
With almost 15,000 New Mexicans incarcerated and another approximately 24,000 on probation or parole, Szuberla will share communication practices that allow engagement with incarcerated family members in a way that is cost effective.
“Communication between an inmate and their community helps strengthen relationships which effectively decreases the recidivism rate,” says Media Literacy Project Campaign Coordinator Laura M. Montoya. “Research has repeatedly shown that inmates who maintain strong connections with their families are less likely to make incarceration a way of life.”
Szuberla’s visit is aligned with Media Literacy Project’s Strong Families initiative. The Strong Families campaign is founded on the idea that families are the cornerstone to healthy communities. Healthy and strong families in New Mexico come in a variety of configurations including incarcerated families and the families of immigrant detainees.
“There are good parents in prison and communication restrictions impact families negatively on both sides of the wall,” says Montoya. “Over half of American inmates have children and more than 80% of those parents stay in touch with their children while incarcerated. It is those connections that keep community members from returning to prison and additionally discourages their children from going into prison.”
The Prison Justice workshop with Szuberla is cohosted by La Plazita Institute and will take place at their South Valley location (831 Isleta Boulevard SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105). The training is limited to 30 participants. R.S.V.P. with Laura Montoya at Media Literacy Project via phone (505.828.3377) or e-mail (laura@medialiteracyproject.org). Dinner will be served at 5:30pm and the training will begin at 6pm and end at 8:30pm.
Since 1998 Szuberla has been connecting inmates in the Appalachian region to their families as host of the region's only hip-hop radio program, Lights Out. Szuberla received hundreds of letters from inmates recently transferred from distant cities into two new, local SuperMax prisons. The prisoners’ letters described racism and human rights violations. Szuberla responded by coordinating a series of artistic projects, including bringing hip-hop artists together with mountain musicians and organizing radio broadcasts for prisoners’ families. (You can access some of the prisoners’ stories at http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6220/content_item/prison-phone-action.)
Both Media Literacy Project and Thousand Kites act as anchor organizations in the Media Action Grassroots Network (MAG-Net). MAG-Net is a local-to-local advocacy network of grassroots community organizations working together for media change to end poverty, eliminate racism, and ensure human rights.
Media Literacy Project is a non-profit organization that advances education and advocacy for media justice.