By Jennifer Haire
Through books, movies, TV shows, magazines, blog articles or social media posts, stories are how humans often best relate to and learn from each other.
Two stories will be presented Oct. 21 at the Carmel Clay Public Library during Hear Our Stories: The Life & Afterlife of Incarceration, presented by Storytelling Arts of Indiana in collaboration with St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and Trusted Mentors. The free event will feature a male and a female speaker who will share their stories of incarceration and their reentry experience.
Each speaker will share for 15 to 20 minutes, and a question and answer session will follow the presentation.
Storytelling Arts provides an annual workshop series to highlight the art of storytelling. Participants are provided a stipend and the workshop helps them structure their life experience into a story. The speakers selected for “Hear our Stories” are part of the reentry assistance programs Trusted Mentors and Recycle Force, which offer mentoring services and assist with job placement, housing and transportation needs.
Ellen Munds, executive director of Storytelling Arts, said the transition from incarceration into everyday life is extremely challenging.
“These individuals are human beings, and they are not their crime. They deserve a second chance,” Munds said.
Telling their stories is part of the healing process, Munds said, and she hopes that bringing more awareness to their experience sparks conversation about the Indiana prison system and the reentry process.
The event is open to the public, however the youngest recommended age is high school. For details and to register, visit carmelclaylibrary.org/event/8816347.
