Three members of the P4W Memorial Collective critique the recent move from segregation to structured intervention, and reflect on ways that people in women’s prisons have helped each other to survive solitary confinement.
This recording includes descriptions of violence, including self-injury, that may be triggering to some listeners.
The main speakers are:
Joey Twins is a Cree Twin Spirit woman from Treaty 6 Territory whose spirit name is Redstone Woman Who Walks With Fire. She is a knowledge keeper, singer and hand drummer, prison advocate, Land Defender, Water Protector, advocate for the homeless, and motivational speaker. She is this year’s recipient of the Ed McIsaac Human Rights Award in Corrections.
Fran Chaisson is a founding member of the P4W Memorial Collective in Kingston, Ontario. She was born and raised in Toronto. She is a volunteer and organizer with the Two Feather Drum Group, Martha’s Table, Kingston Waterwalkers, Ontario Native Women’s Association, HARS (HIV/AIDS Regional Services), Pow Wow Yoga, and the Kingston National Indigenous Peoples’ Day. She was released from P4W in 1989 and has been clean and sober since 1991. She follows the Red Road and tries to live her life by the Seven Grandfathers Teachings. She is the keeper of the Two-Spirit big drum. For Fran, prison is a capitalist system that does violence against womyn every day. The whole system has to come down!
Bobbie Kidd was born and raised in Winnipeg, then moved to BC. She is a member of the P4W Memorial Collective, and she volunteers with EFry as a peer support worker for women coming out of prison. She is also a fundraiser for E Fry and the United Way. Bobbie is an inspirational speaker at Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, in churches, and with Native students. She is Native, and she follows the Seven Grandfather Teachings. Bobbie has been clean for twenty years, and she received counselling for two years at SACK (Sexual Assault Centre Kingston). She was released from P4W in 1993, after being the first woman to keep her child in a federal prison. Her son has blessed her with three grandkids.
This is the 12th event in a 15 day spotlight on solitary confinement in Canada, organized by Prisoner Legal Services, Schulich School of Law – Dalhousie University, the John Howard Society of Canada, and the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies.