The stories of life behind bars will be in the spotlight Thursday as three area law enforcement leaders read stories of and by former prisoners.
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, Lafayette Police Operations Cmdr. David Self and Estes Park police Capt. Corey Pass will read the stories of people impacted by the racism and violence within the criminal justice system, said Torrie Eberhard, Motus Theater strategic communications and project manager.
The event is the second of two free Zoom performances born of the JustUs Monologues project, a Motus Theater workshop created to mobilize action and discussion on the consequences of incarceration and injustices in the criminal justice system.
“Together, these two performances will elevate authentic voices and allow a space for courageous civic empathy,” Eberhard said.
The project is taking an arts-based approach to shed light on the harm, racism, violence and injustice the criminal injustice system has inflicted, said Kirsten Wilson, Motus Theater artistic director.
“Motus asks law enforcement, public safety leaders, district attorneys, prosecutors to shift their perspective,” she said. “By reading aloud these personal stories, law enforcement agents connect more personally.”
With more than 2 million people behind bars, or nearly 1% of the adult population, at any given time, the United States has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world, according to data from the Prison Policy Initiative.
There also are significant racial and ethnic disparities in prisons and jails across the country with a disproportionate representation of Blacks, Hispanics and American Indians, according to Prison Policy Initiative data.
The stories read through the JustUs Monologues project touch on the root causes that led people to commit crimes, including poverty, drug addiction, racism and lack of legal opportunities, Wilson said: “(The reasons) that push young people into illicit economies because there are few legal options.”
“It is important to hear these stories, because the stories we hold close are the ones that impact what we care about, actions we take, how we vote,” she said.
“By listening to, and reading the stories of formerly incarcerated leaders, law enforcement agents connect more personally to the harm, violence, and injustice that the criminal injustice system has inflicted in the name of ‘justice.”
After each of the presentations, the authors and law enforcement leaders will reflect on the impact of reading the stories and a capella group, Spirit of Grace, will provide musical background for discussions, according to a news release.
To register for the free Zoom event, click here. For more information about Motus Theater and how to get involved, click here or follow its Facebook and Instagram pages.
