#i love the idea of a personal and purposeful relationship with god present in quakerism

[christshands]

i dont really consider myself to be part of any one denomination for a multitude of reasons, but every so often ill get fixated on a specific denomination/group of christians (christianity, in addition to being my faith, is my special interest. which is the whole reason i made this blog) and their practices. right now im obsessively learning about eastern orthodoxy, before that though i was learning about anglicans, and before that it was quakers. idk the different ways people seek god are just really cool to me

[twitchywitchybxtch]

FAQ on Christian Witchcraft

A blog asked me the following questions:

How did you come to identify as a Christian witch?

How does one deal with the fear that they’re “letting in evil” by practicing witchcraft?

How does one deal with the fear of loved ones discovering you’re a witch and rejecting you for it?

First of all, thanks for your questions! You’re not alone out there as someone who both feels drawn to aspects of witchcraft and cherishes their faith. I hope that my story offers a perspective that is helpful for you.

How did I come to identify as a Christian Witch?

I was raised in the Quaker Church, which ascribes to most of the typical Christian doctrine. But it also has some unique elements to it that emphasize a highly personal relationship with God (called "the Light") and utilizes some of the techniques that witches use as well, such as grounding and centering. That connection with God was where I started; it's the basic element of how I practice and how I worship. I'm going to link this video because it explains the Quaker theology better than I can in text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0SLPW0JHsU

My interest in witchcraft was piqued when a friend of mine started dabbling in lunar witchcraft. She wasn't super outspoken about it, but her interest led me to start researching the modern community of witches; what they do, what they believe. And I found that so many of the rituals were similar to things that Christian churches do all over the world. It was then that I realized that these rituals weren't what angered God, but rather certain contexts in which they were performed and ill motivations behind performing them. If you are a Christian and your witchcraft is performed in a way that aggrandizes the power of a deity besides God, then it could constitute idolatry. If it's performed with the intent to harm someone. it violates the command to "love your neighbor" and is therefore sinful. 

The essence of being a Christian witch, in my experience, is practicing in a way that affirms the Bible's core teachings and incorporating God into every aspect of your craft. Once you do, you find that being in the Light (or the presence of God) energizes your craft. You feel more confident and you see change happening in your life that you wouldn't have expected. I personally don't believe in magic that affects the physical plane (that's just me), but I wholeheartedly believe in magic that transforms the mind and heart; magic that reveals knowledge, that fortifies us spiritually against the world, that brings peace to those who are suffering. Witchcraft utilizes the senses to set intentions so deep in our heart, that we live them out every day and work towards worldly change ourselves. In Christian witchcraft, God is the cornerstone of that endeavor.

How do I deal with the fear of being discovered and rejected by loved ones for practicing witchcraft?

Concerns about being discovered and rejected are valid and not trivial. I don't struggle so much with them now because I live with roommates that wouldn't care. But when I visit my parents for extended periods of time, I do worry that they'll find a book or something that I'm reading and get the wrong idea (namely because witches seem to feel obligated to stick a pentacle on the cover of every book). But if they did find something like that, I would want them to ask me about it so that they wouldn't worry about the state of my soul. I probably wouldn't start right off the bat and say, "I'm a witch!" because there are assumptions made right there that make it more difficult to explain the nuance of my spiritual practice. But, I would tell them that I use certain objects to get myself in a worship-focused state. It's no different to a candlelight church service, dressing in special clothes for Sunday service, or having an altar in the sanctuary. With tarot, I would point to the Biblical imagery present throughout the cards and explain that they're tools to examine a situation through different lenses. All of this is both meaningful and truthful--it simply describes the purpose of the action rather than simply assigning it a label that someone might not understand.

How do I deal with the fear that I’m “letting in evil” by practicing witchcraft?

There is a risk of "letting in evil' in every single thing that we do in life. By having children, there's a risk that one could choose to abuse them. By accumulating wealth, there's a chance that one could choose to value profit over human welfare. By assuming a position of political power, there's a chance one could choose to discriminate against minority groups. The risk of choosing sin is unavoidable, but it's just that: a choice. Witchcraft is not inherently sinful, but it is our responsibility, as in all things, to look to Jesus' teachings for guidance and choose to practice in a way that brings light to the world, not darkness. We do this by examining the “fruits” of our actions and our beliefs (Matthew 7:15-20). If one’s craft produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” (Galatians 5:22-23) then it produces the fruit of the Spirit and should be called righteous. 

At the end of the day, “witch” is just a word. Calling yourself a witch is not a sin; it’s simply a marker of who you associate with, a label one can apply to themselves in order to discover like-minded people. If someone attacks you about spending time with people who they perceive as sinful, you can remind them 1) that Jesus did just that all throughout his ministry; and 2) “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23) so there is no one on earth who spends their time with righteous people.

Best of luck as you explore your path, and may peace be with you always. ✨

(Tags for other Christian Witch blogs: @sweetcreamcoven @christowitch @marymagdalaa @stained-glass-sins)

[ozarkhealingtraditions]

Spiritism and Religion

I've talked elsewhere about the universal nature of Spiritism, but I thought it might be appropriate to look more closely at the topic of Spiritism's relationship to religious traditions. In this article I will be using quotes from the 1893 edition of The Spirits' Book, as translated by Anna Blackwell.

Early Spiritists came mostly from a Christian (specifically Catholic) background. Researchers would say this is for the simple reason that Kardec and his associates just so happened to be Catholic, and I would tend to agree with them, but for the fact that I believe what helped the Spiritist cause early on was growing from religious traditions that more emphasized mysticism than others. Many French Catholics, for instance, joined the Spiritist ranks under Kardec as a way to expand their already profound experience with the divine. With their doctrine of the Saints and angels who often intervene on human affairs, it was much easier for Catholics to reconcile a much broader spirit world than what is normally taught by religion.

Quakers, or members of the Religious Society of Friends, were also among some of the first participants in what we might label "Spiritualism," although the practices are as varied as there are practitioners. Since the beginning of the religious movement the Quakers have put an importance upon a continuing revelation and avoidance of reliance upon outdated texts. I think this could be one of the reasons why so many became quickly interested in Spiritualist and Spiritist thought. It can be connected to this idea of receiving sacred information directly from a divine source, rather than second or third hand. This belief is built into the religion itself, and even today participants in Quaker worship services often act as mediums for sacred messages.

As Spiritism grew as a movement, it slowly enveloped many of the occult movements of the time, including members of the Theosophical Society, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, etc. Without a doubt, many of the same influences upon the forming of these societies also influenced the codification of Spiritist beliefs, especially those of the Theosophical Society with their emphasis upon reincarnation and karmic debt. Nineteenth century Europe had an abundance of new occult societies, many already using the techniques of Spiritualism as a basis for their beliefs and practices. What Kardec brought to the table, among other things, was a more rational approach to the spirit world, based heavily upon an inward form of spirituality, less emphasis on what might be considered "strange" or "fringe" practices, and a more conversation-based practice of mediumship without the need for a spectacle.

Some of the more interesting varieties of Spiritism come when we look at how this philosophy spread to the French colonies (or other areas influenced by French culture). These are areas of the world that still to this day have high numbers of Spiritists. One of these is Brazil, which has the highest concentration of Spiritists in the world. There are a few ways traditional Spiritism manifests in Brazil today. First is by way of indigenous religious traditions like Umbanda. It's interesting to note that the areas of the world that still have a large Spiritist presence are areas where Spiritism and indigenous spiritual traditions have mixed. In the case of Brazil, Umbanda is the tradition most influenced by what we might call "traditional" Spiritism, as opposed to traditions like Candomblé. I should note here that I'm by no means an Umbandista, or an expert on most of these traditions I'm going to talk about, so if you have an interest I would seek more academic research. Currently, the majority of Brazil's Spiritists follow the teachings of Chico Xavier, a prolific writer and medium who authored over a hundred books with his spirit guides. Xavier was heavily influenced by the traditional Christian side of Spiritism, with an emphasis upon a personal relationship with Jesus as messiah and divinity. As a non-Christian myself, I can say that Xavier's works, while interesting in the scope of modern Spiritism, are hard to read for those not aligned with Christian faith. His works, however, are massively popular and have greatly influenced many other modern mediums and writers.

Throughout Central/South America and the Caribbean, Spiritism is known by the name Espiritismo, of which there are hundreds, if not more, varieties. In Brazil, as I've already mentioned, Espiritismo is mostly seen in the indigenous-based religions of Umbanda (as well as its cousins, Quimbanda and Macumba) as well as in a modern form of Christian Spiritism as taught by Chico Xavier. In Cuba and Puerto Rico the tradition of Espiritismo has also merged with indigenous beliefs to form the tradition of Espiritismo Cruzado, or "crossed" Spiritism, referring to the mixture of European Spiritism with indigenous beliefs and traditions. This also gave rise to Espiritismo de Cordon, another area of research for those interested in Espiritismo. In Venezuela, Spiritism has taken on a fascinating form in the Maria Lionza religion, another mixture of European Spiritism and indigenous traditions. Unlike other varieties of Espiritismo, Maria Lionza mediums channel not only indigenous figures and folk heroes of South America, but also Vikings, European Saints, and even East Asian philosophers.

Another religion that I couldn't possibly avoid mentioning is Đạo Cao Đài or Cao Dai (often called Caodaism), a Vietnamese religion founded in the early part of the twentieth century. As with other traditions we've mentioned, Cao Dai is a highly syncretic religion that combines indigenous Vietnamese beliefs with Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, holding everything together with the philosophy of European Spiritism. The religion itself was founded during an automatic writing session held by three Vietnamese spirit mediums well versed in the works of Kardec. Since the beginning, all of the major texts and revelations for the religion have been provided by mediums, a tradition that continues even today. Cao Dai mediums have famously channeled such spirits as the Jade Emperor,  Joan of Arc, and Victor Hugo, which might seen like an odd combination, but it fits perfectly within the Spiritist worldview.

What exactly is this worldview? While some critics have claimed that Kardec made Spiritualism dry, stuffy, and unappealing to anyone outside of academic circles through his codification, this is far from the truth. In his works, Kardec sought to address directly what he considered to be the faults of Spiritualism, mainly mediums (or so called mediums) tricking people out of their money to talk with dead loved ones, and needless rituals and prayers plucked from different traditions without discernment or understanding. Spiritism as it is defined by Kardec isn't a religious tradition at all, it's a philosophy. Some modern writers like to think of it as a "path" or "way," much like Sufism, which is traditionally thought of being beyond religion and at the same time contained within all religions. This is why Spiritism has easily been translated and merged with so many indigenous traditions. Spiritism provides a framework for viewing human relationships with the spirit world, a notion lacking in many mainstream religious traditions. It defines the form of the spirit, its function as we know it, and how the existence of our own immortal spirits affects the way we see our purpose in the universe. This framework is universal in nature, meaning it appeals to and can be translated into many different religious and spiritual traditions. While Kardec often wrote from a very Christian-centered worldview, his works are also filled with universalist ideals. His overall message is for the unity of humanity on the forward progression through the Spiritual Hierarchy.

Kardec's message (or I should say the message of the spirit entities as channeled by Kardec and his associates) emphasizes the mystical experience of the individual. When he asks the question whether worship (adoration in this edition of the text) is dependent upon external manifestations he receives this answer:

"True adoration is in the heart. In all your actions remember that the Master's eye is always upon you." The Spirits' Book, entry 653

And again, when he poses the question differently:

"Does God accord a preference to those who worship Him according to any particular mode? "God prefers those who worship Him from the heart, with sincerity, and by doing what is good and avoiding what is evil, to those who fancy they honour Him by ceremonies which do not render them any better than their neighbours." The Spirits' Book, entry 654

And perhaps one of Kardec's more direct answers of universalism:

"Do not ask, then, if any form of worship be more acceptable than another; for it is as though you asked whether it is more pleasing to God to be worshipped in one tongue rather than in another. Remember that the hymns addressed to Him can reach Him only through the door of the heart." The Spirits' Book, entry 654

Kardec presents a very specific form of monotheism in his works. In this system God represents a sort of formless, distant creator who doesn't require any sort of worship. Prayer then is for the benefit of the individual, not the deity. Underneath God are a host of spirits that fit into various positions on the Spiritual Hierarchy. These spirits act as guides and intermediaries for disembodied spirits and incarnated spirits, helping them to advance and elevate. Kardec addresses this belief when talking about Polytheism:

"As phenomena attesting the action of spirits have occurred in all ages of the world, and have thus been known from the earliest times, may they not have helped to induce a belief in the plurality of gods? "Undoubtedly; for, as men applied the term god to whatever surpassed humanity, spirits were, for them, so many gods. For this reason, whenever a man distinguished himself among all others by his actions, his genius, or an occult power incomprehensible by the vulgar, he was made a god of, and was worshipped as such after his death." The Spirits' Book, entry 668

That is to say, that in the past humans have confused what are called Higher Order spirits for deities, when in fact these spirits are on the same hierarchy as incarnated humans. This idea is similar to those found in Buddhism, where even deities, as powerful as they might be, are still bound by the wheel of life, death, and rebirth. In traditional Spiritism, the ultimate goal is to learn and advance to the point of absolute nearness to God. This idea is still held by many Spiritist groups around the world, but has also been transformed by others. Personally, I choose to think of the "ultimate goal" as a form of supreme altruism, a transformation of the individual spirit into an entity of pure love, similar to the bodhisattva in Buddhism. For me, this belief requires no supreme deity.

While traditional Spiritism has often been viewed in light of Christian values and ideals, it isn't inherently Christian at all. In fact, as I've said before, Kardec himself discouraged readers from taking Spiritism as a religion in and of itself, or even as a representative form of any religion. While Kardec himself might have been Catholic, as well as his early followers, Spiritism itself teaches a universal philosophy that can be utilized alongside countless religious and spiritual viewpoints. The deep connection with the spirit world, coupled with a commentary on humankind's purpose in the cosmos, has made Spiritism abundantly popular not only to adherents of what we might call "traditional" religions, but also those seeking to deepen their expression of indigenous spiritual beliefs. Some researchers have even described Spiritism as a revival of European animistic beliefs in a modern age, a sort of modernistic European shamanism. I wouldn't go that far, personally, but it's indeed interesting to look at the potential of this system in creating and maintaining a sense of continual sacred revelation for a people so often bound to static texts and unwavering religious dogma. In this way, Spiritism itself can be used as a tool of religious or spiritual reform, not just for the individual, but perhaps for society as a whole.

[humansofhds]

Johnna Loreen, MTS ′18

“I’m glad that in recent years prison scholarship and activism is coming to the forefront so that people have to see it and listen. The more that we can empower people who are impacted to be part of that movement, the more likely people will have to reckon with these truths.”

Johnna works as an education navigator, advocating for and advising people who want to start or continue their education upon their release from incarceration.

Falling Down the Rabbit Hole

My path to prison education began in a course on policing with Professors Aisha Beliso-De Jesús and Laurence Ralph. I found many issues I care about—policing, and race and class conflict—intersecting at this place called mass incarceration. I felt compelled to learn more, to get involved, and to see what I could do to be part of that work. A classmate recommended I look into the Petey Greene Program, which supports higher education in prisons in Boston and other cities along the East Coast.

I ended up working with the Petey Greene Program and at MCI Norfolk for over half of my graduate career. I did some independent studies with Professors Kaia Stern and Diane Moore and read a lot of Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, Elizabeth Hinton, and other leading scholars on these subjects.

Two books that I read were Kaia Stern’s Voices from American Prisons and Richard Snyder’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Punishment. I was fascinated by why our prisons look the way they look, why they operate the way they operate, and how that is deeply rooted in the Christian theology that helped shape this country. I fell down the rabbit hole of the theology of the criminal “justice” system.

Incarceration’s Christian History

One would hope that Christian theology would follow a restorative, healing, loving approach to criminal justice because those are the feel-good parts of Christianity. But there are also some things that are not so pretty in Christian theology or ways that it has been co-opted that do harm to communities and individuals.

The Protestant ethic of individualism that sets apart Protestantism from its brother, Catholicism, defines our punishment system. For example, the fact that solitary confinement exists, and that throughout history people were often put into solitary confinement with nothing but a Bible, comes from an Anglican idea that solitude would bring one closer to God. The fact that prisons were built by Quakers, in concept and construction, as an alternative to the death penalty is another example of the religious roots of our prison system.

We idealize individualism as a society, which is very Capitalist and very Protestant. One's relationship with God is individual. It is the individual's business, and it is their responsibility to redeem themself.

This idea takes the onus off the community to be part of somebody's redemption, to take responsibility for the society we created and the people in it. It manifests in a punishment system that blames the individual and absolves the community of responsibility.

Erasing these connections is incredibly harmful because people are ripped out of the context of their family and relationships and expected to make something good out of that.

A View from the Inside

The implementation of education in prisons varies widely from prison to prison and state to state. In a lot of ways, my experience in Massachusetts is very night and day from my work in Washington now.

The prisons in Massachusetts are older. Everything is older and has more history on the East Coast, and that is reflected in the architecture of the prison and a lot of the attitudes around the prison. There is an antiquated mentality about what a prison is there for and how people who are incarcerated should be treated.

While volunteering at MCI Norfolk, I was escorted everywhere. It was very strict. There was a lot of distrust in all directions. It was a really stressful environment to work in. A lot of people I worked with there—some corrections officers, teachers, and of course, students—were phenomenal. But that certainly was not the whole experience. Additionally, college programming was brought in by universities or non-profits who worked outside the Department of Corrections (DOC). The partnerships were not always as cooperative as one would hope.

It was very different coming to Washington where there is a state infrastructure already in place for education in prisons. The State of Washington has mandated that certain educational programming be available to people who are incarcerated. The DOC partners with a local college—often a community or technical college in the area—so that every state prison has a partnership with a local education provider to provide basic GED and high school diploma studies, as well as some vocational programming.

Students often tell us that they wish we offered liberal arts education—a transferable associate's degree, for example, or a bachelor's degree. Having a contract with the state brings limitations though, and because of our state’s contract, we can't use state funding to offer either. Outside of basic education, we can only bring in vocational programs.

The reason comes down to the perception that education in prison should be for a certain purpose. A lot of leaders, a lot of people giving the money, believe that education should lead to better job outcome, job readiness, or a vocational skill that is marketable. Those things are valuable and should be present in what we offer. But I take issue with that being the only thing we focus on in education in prisons.

There can be so much value in an education for the sake of education. I think that offering liberal arts studies and expanded degree programs offers an opportunity for a transformative experience and more humanizing spaces. One can develop a stronger sense of agency just through the act of studying, through the act of education.

A Corrections Education Navigator

My job is like a college advisor, but it looks very different inside of a prison facility. I work with people who are releasing anywhere from a month to a year out and want to explore the possibility of beginning or continuing their education.

I help them talk through their professional and personal goals, and whether a college education, vocational program, or other direction makes sense for them. Then I support them through the process, such as FAFSA, college applications, and all the little hoops and inconveniences that one has to navigate.

I was a first-generation college student, so I remember some of what that was like—not knowing the right questions to ask, where to start, what resources even existed for students like me. People who are incarcerated face a whole different set of challenges in addition to that.

That is why I like the title “Navigator.” I don't have all the answers all the time, but I work together with my students to navigate the challenges and make sure that they have an advocate every step of the way. When they get to their release date, I want them to have an idea of what they want to do, where they want to go, and some solid next steps they can take.

I’ll admit I have mixed feelings about my work though. I would really love to say I do great stuff, it's all part of this great system, and we're making things better. But I am not convinced of that.

On a systemic level, I don't feel like I do that much, or certainly not enough. I still feel like I'm pushing people out into a system that is not really meant for their success and is not going to support them in their pursuit of success. That feeling sucks. Being a Navigator or even one of several Navigators trying to do good work with people does not necessarily mean that we’re transforming the system in a meaningful way.

On an individual level, I do some good work that I am proud of. I love being a partner in my students’ success. It feels really good when someone gets into college and I helped them do that. Or someone gets a financial aid package, and for the first time, realizes that college can be a reality for them. That's really empowering. I love being a part of that.

Where You Are Determines What You Get

There are a lot of barriers for students in prison. When you walk into the classroom, it may not seem terribly different. The differences come down to what students must overcome to get their education.

Students in prison do not have the kind of support that students on the outside do. They don't always have advisors or tutors. There isn’t always a quiet place to study. Because of the pandemic, they don't even have a library. And even when they do, they don't have access to JSTOR or Google, or all those resources that students on the outside take for granted and use constantly. Some students also face the logistical difficulties of taking classes while in solitary confinement.

Students in prison are constantly jumping through hoops. It takes a very determined, dedicated person to be successful in higher education in prisons. Even though we do our best to make it as accessible as possible, the barriers are many.

We are working to open up more possibilities for our students. For example, a special kind of laptop was secured for students last year to provide more research resources. I feel lucky that in Washington the right people have pushed and advocated for that because I have taught in facilities where there is no such thing, and there never will be.

This sort of thing is important everywhere, but because every state is so different, what you get depends on where you are incarcerated. It should not be that way.

Transformative Education Is Intentional

It is important for those doing this work to acknowledge that a lot of people who are impacted by our carceral system have not had good experiences in education or with educators. Educational institutions can be incredibly oppressive, stifling, and unwelcoming. Many people in our programs tell us that their experience with education has sucked. This is one reason why I take issue with the idea that education is inherently good.

Some educators come into prisons with expectations that they will just deliver the curriculum and it will be of value. But it’s naïve to think that education is inherently wonderful or will automatically transform the learner. Even if a student gets college credit or a degree, education must be done with intention as a collaboration between learners and educators to prove meaningful.

Many scholars have worked on the concept of transformative education. A few are Kaia Stern, Diane Moore, and, of course, there's Paulo Freire's famous Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Their work shows how important it is to understand that education is not inherently transformative. If that is what one wants education to be, one must be incredibly intentional to make it that way. If done intentionally, education can help empower people in prisons to exercise their own agency. It can give them more tools and support to vocalize their experience, their story, their needs.

In that way, education can be a wonderful tool of justice and liberation work. But it doesn't just happen that way. One doesn't learn how to add fractions, and then magically have this heightened consciousness. It must be incredibly intentional. I've used that word a million times, but I can't overstate it.

The Road to Prison Abolition

If we are dedicated to higher education in prisons as a transformative practice and a tool for liberation work, we have to think about this work in tandem with mass incarceration and the abolition movement of prisons.

Because education can be such a means of empowerment, education is very much in the conversation about mass incarceration. Education is not a fix all. It is not the solution. But it can be an impactful part of the solution by providing humanizing spaces inside of a dehumanizing institution.

The goal of any good nonprofit is to work itself out of existence. So, I think that education in prison must be a tool to help dismantle the prison, to help abolish the prison. That doesn’t mean to hell with everyone who is incarcerated now and who works in prisons though. It is a more encompassing approach than that.

Any approach to abolition is going to have many different facets of which education will be a single part. Angela Davis comes to mind here and her words about abolition being the creation of something rather than just the destruction something. As educators, that concept should always be in the front of our mind.

We cannot just deliver a curriculum. We need to figure out how to take our students with us on an educational journey and equip them with the tools they will need well beyond the classroom. Not just how to write a paper or add a fraction, but how to tell your story, how to make an argument, how to do research, how to have a debate.

When I go into my classroom and teach, I never depart from that mentality. I try my very best to work in partnership with my students to empower and embolden them to use their own voices and prop themselves and each other up. They are the ones with the lived experiences. They are the ones who are the most impacted. As educators, we should be their enablers.

The frank truth is that not everybody agrees with this. Not everybody is going into their classroom to do this. And I can't change that. Nobody can. But the more people get involved who do have that mentality and the capacity to teach, the more meaningful our impact will be, the closer we will become to the goal.

I understand that there is a lot of weight behind these words and that because my job is to work in prisons many of my coworkers would not receive my opinions well. But this is what I believe. Education must be a tool for the broader goal of abolition of prisons. I don't think it'll happen in my lifetime, but one day, if there are no prisons, then there will be no need for higher education in prisons.

Find the Key and Set Them Free

Prisons are built out of sight so we can keep the people being held there out of mind. I would venture to say that our lock-them-up-and-throw-away-the-key mentality demonstrates that we are not supposed to think about people who are in prison.

I am glad that in recent years prison scholarship and activism is coming to the forefront so that people have to see it and listen. The more that we can empower people who are impacted to be part of the movement, the more likely people will have to reckon with these truths.

For people seeking to join this effort, take the time to find the people and organizations that have been impacted by our carceral system that are already doing valuable work. It's important to follow their lead when getting involved and understand that this is work should be done in community and in partnership.

Get involved, but do so with intention and caution. I don’t say caution because the work is hazardous, but because the work involves a lot of systems and people with conflicting viewpoints. It is important to consider that before and during the work. We need to think critically about the experience of the people who are incarcerated, as well as the dynamics between them and people who work at the facility.

People do a disservice to themselves and their programs when they don't think about how those dynamics are going to affect their work because they absolutely do. Anyone who wants to do this work needs to have a conversation and really talk through the assumptions that they have going into it.

Why are you going into this work? What do you hope to accomplish? How are you going to integrate yourself into this field in a way that is not oppressive or harmful? The reality is that there are people who do this work and cause harm. Many education programs, re-entry programs, religious programs go into these facilities and cause harm.

So, think critically about your positionality; put it all on the table. And don’t stop doing that. Only then can your good intentions become a strategy and your strategy a road to meaningful change.

Edited by Natalie Campbell; photos courtesy of Johnna Loreen