As many of you know, Voice of Witness is in the beginning stages of writing a book illuminating the experiences of incarcerated women in the US. The book will be edited by acclaimed author Ayelet Waldman and is a collaborative project with the organization Justice Now. Currently, we are in the initial stages of interviewing narrators for the book.
This week, volunteer interviewer Claire Kiefer travelled to Alabama to speak with several women prisoners and record their life stories. For Claire, who has worked as a teacher in San Quentin Prison as well as with at-risk youth with incarcerated parents, this was a powerful experience. She writes:
“Yesterday I got up at 5 am and drove to Montgomery, Alabama to meet with two women at the AIM (Aid for Inmate Mothers) center downtown. I prepared my (incredibly futuristic) audio recorder and sat down with the first woman I was to interview. To say that she silenced me with her strength, resilience, and grace would be a drastic understatement.”
To read more about her experience as an interviewer for Voice of Witness, click here.
