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A profound exploration of stories that surround incarceration in Philadelphia, “Prison Life Stories 2008,” begins with a phone call from Patrick Middleton, Ph.D. He has been incarcerated for more than 30 years and is the senior editor for Sagewriters, Inc. A voice on the phone urges the prisoner to discuss life behind bars. He responds with candor and poignancy.
“Patrick’s story is the core around which a series of interviews, mine included, are woven,” says Judith Trustone, founder of Sagewriters. She offers prisoners a voice by publishing their books and making them available at Sagewriters.org. Her Celling America’s Soul: Torture and Transformation In Our Prisons and Why We Should Care is popular with prisoners and their families, but banned by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. “In the film I describe my awakening to the reality of prisons, in my creative writing class,” says Trustone.
The 30 minute film premieres Sunday, March 30, 2:30pm, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Van Pelt Auditorium), and is free with museum admission. Tickets are available at the museum or call 215-235-7469 (museum ticket-line). In addition to the Philadelphia Museum of Art screening, “Prison Life Stories” is scheduled for April 8 at Swarthmore College and an airing on WYBE Public Television (Philadelphia) later this year as part of their Philadelphia Stories series.
In 1990 Middleton became the first prisoner in America to earn his B.A. (summa cum laude), M.A., and Ph.D. His new book of memoirs, Incorrigible (Infinity Publishing, $14.95), coincides with the premiere of “Prison Life Stories 2008.” It details 33 years, so far, of life behind bars and soon joins his Healing Our Imprisoned Minds: A People’s Guide to Hope and Freedom (Infinity Publishing, 2004, $19.95, BuyBooksOnTheWeb.com) on Sagewriters.org
Participation in “Prison Life Stories 2008” is just one aspect of Trustone and Middleton’s new Global Kindness Initiative—a larger team effort, with Tyrone Werts, president of Lifers, Inc., and Gale Campanella Muhammad, CEO of Women Who Never Give Up. Their goal for the grass-roots movement is to emulate the “Pay It Forward” movie’s mindset and diminish violence on both sides of the walls.
“Prison Life Stories 2008” chronicles true life for the big screen that not only demonstrates the affects of incarceration on prisoners and their families, but extended family and even whole communities. Produced by Philadelphia based filmmakers, Michael Kuetemeyer, Deborah Rudman, and Anula Shetty, of Termite TV Collective (Termite.org), “Prison Life Stories 2008” is a “March is Justice Month” presentation in their Lifesize Action Pictures series. Trustone and Shetty are each recipients of the Leeway Foundation’s Transformation Award for women artists using art for social change.
Judith Trustone hosts a weekly Internet radio show, “Healing Justice,” on Gtownradio.com every Saturday at noon (EDT). An award-winning writer and artist, she is available as an expert source and workshop presenter for subjects of prisoner and social injustice on both sides of the bars.
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