Poetic Justice Event Raises Awareness of Female Incarceration in Oklahoma

Grand Nation, Inc. hosting a screening of “Grey Matter” documentary and poetry readings Sunday, April 22 at The Coffee Shelter in Vinita.

Thursday, April 19, 2018 (Grand Nation, Inc.) — The state of Oklahoma incarcerates 165 out of every 100,000 women, double the national average of 60.

To raise awareness of the alarming problem of female incarceration in Oklahoma, Grand Nation, Inc. and Rhonda Bear will host a screening of the documentary film, “Grey Matter,” from 6 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 22.

This topic is especially important to Bear who once was incarcerated and turned her life around. She now serves as the founder and director of His House Outreach Ministries and She Brews Coffee House in Claremore.

The Sunday evening event will also include poetry readings and a Q&A opportunity with volunteers from Poetic Justice, a nonprofit organization that holds creative writing classes in multiple jails and prisons across Oklahoma.

Through its Into the Heartland effort, Poetic Justice intends to show the 22-minute documentary in each of Oklahoma’s 77 counties before the November elections to highlight the need for criminal justice reform in Oklahoma.

Scissortail Media’s documentary “Grey Matter” explores this issue, as well as the experiences of incarcerated women and the efforts of Poetic Justice to empower these women.

Through its workshops and classes, Poetic Justice helps the women express their feelings and ideas through poetry thus building transformational communication skills to lead restored, meaningful lives.

“In our writing classes, more than 1,000 women have shared their stories with us,” said Ellen Stackable, executive director of Poetic Justice, “their regrets, their struggles and their hope for the future.”

Poetic Justice and Scissortail Media were granted unprecedented access to Oklahoma’s largest prison for women and to the Tulsa County Jail to film the documentary.

The public is invited to attend this free event, which will be held at The Coffee Shelter, 121 S. Wilson, in Vinita. Coffee will be available for purchase and free cardamon expresso cupcakes will be offered.

ABOUT GRAND NATION

Grand Nation is a nonprofit grassroots coalition that has been serving the Grand Lake area since 2012. An umbrella organization for a number of different programs, Grand Nation joins families seeking a better life with the resources and community organizations that can help them achieve their goal. Located at 120 E. Illinois, Suite 306, in Vinita, Grand Nation serves the communities of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, including Vinita, Grove, Jay, Afton, Ketchum, Langley, Miami, Bluejacket and Spavinaw. The phone number is (918) 276-2192.