Correctional Training Facility (CTF) hosted Freedom Reads events for the population. Freedom Reads is an organization dedicated to bringing literary experiences to incarcerated individuals. Freedom Reads presented a live performance of “The Latehomecomer,” adapted from the novel by Kao Kalia Yang.
This one-actor play portrayed the journey of Kao Kalia Yang, a young girl born in the Ban Vinai Refugee camp in Thailand. The narrative follows Kalia’s arrival in the United States at six years old. She struggles as a reticent student grappling with English and racial discrimination. The story follows her evolution into a self-empowered young woman. Her story is a testament to finding one’s voice and the courage to tell the untold stories of her community.
Freedom Reads brings more than just books
Freedom Reads was founded by poet and lawyer Reginald Dwayne Betts, a 2021 MacArthur Fellow. The organization addresses the hopelessness and desperation often found in prison life through literature. With initiatives like the Freedom Library, Freedom Ambassadors, and Freedom Stories, the organization believes in the transformative power of books and stories.
The Freedom Libraries placed in institution housing units are not just collections of books but symbols of hope and beauty. They serve as a reminder of the connection between education and freedom.
These events bring writers, poets, athletes, and performers into prisons. Ambassadors engage with the incarcerated individuals through readings, book circles, and performances, reminding them of their continuing connection to the broader society.
As of 2023, according to the Freedom Reads website they have established libraries in over 30 prisons and juvenile detention centers across 10 states. Freedom Reads is committed to redefining the prison experience through the power of literature and storytelling.
Story submitted by Lt. Wil Landrum, AA/PIO
Correctional Training Facility
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