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Freedom Project Newsletter
Supporting the transformation of prisoners into peacemakers
November 2014
Welcoming returnees back to our community
by Jenny Goodwine
“We see your light, Randy… Ed… Tim…
Greg… Don.” One by one, the former prisoners stepped into the circle as the community
sang their special song of welcome.
This ritual was part of Freedom Project’s
homecoming ceremony, celebrated on October 11 at the University Christian Church. The
idea behind this ritual, explained Janice Eng,
an original member of Freedom Project,
comes from an African tradition that greets
every newborn with its own special song and
repeats this song at important events in a
person’s life.
In that spirit some 50 members of the
Freedom Project community sang each returnee’s name for about a minute, so they could fully absorb the community’s support as they recalled their true self. Holding up a candle and a mirror, Janice quoted American writer Edith
Wharton, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
There was also time for the more seasoned returnees to share their wisdom with the newcomers. After so many
years under the scrutiny of guards and the camera “you may think that everybody sees you as a prisoner,” one of the
returnees explained, “but the reality is that you are free.” “It’s imBoard of Directors
portant to live each day with gratitude,” said another one. “Be sure to
Martha Comfort, president
find the support you need, and trust that you are valued and have a
Emily Lundell, vice president
place at the table,” advised yet another.
Leaders of the Freedom Project community added their own perspectives and wisdom.
KC Young, Freedom Project’s executive director, shared a poem by
Sufi poet Hafiz, “Hold hands and look into each other’s eyes… so your
spirits will embrace and interweave.”
Fran Howard, outgoing board president, recalled her years of commitment to the project, adding, “We are not a machine to be fixed, but
a garden to be tended.”
Tuere Sala, a former board president and long-time workshop leader, reminded those gathered of the five mindfulness precepts, including, “I vow to refrain from harming any sentient being.”
The celebration began with volunteer and master drummer Simone
LaDrumma’s rhythms on the djembe drum, and it ended with an abundance of food and conversation.
Anne Barnes, secretary
Daniel McInally
Pamela South
Jim Yearby
Peacefull Dawn Keenen
Staff
KC Young, executive director
Sue McCarthy, programming & outreach
Tim Conbere, administrative assistant
Jenny Goodwine, intern
Brian Chang, intern
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Your donations are tax-deductible.
Please make your check payable to Freedom
Project and mail it in the enclosed envelope
to P.O. Box 31191, Seattle, WA 98103.
Freedom Project sets goals for 2015
By KC Young, executive director
In preparation for our August retreat, members of the board and staff were asked to prepare bold news headlines
to help us define goals for the coming year.
Here’s what the 11 participants suggested:
1. Expand Nonviolent Communication and Mindfulness training beyond the Puget Sound.
2. Develop a program for family and friends of the incarcerated.
3. Double our donor base.
Ambitious goals, no doubt, but the palpable enthusiasm in the room seemed to support them. And why not?
Haven’t we already come a long way?
Over the last months we have doubled
training hours for our prison mentors. Almost 20 volunteers are studying the mindfulness curriculum Path of Freedom. We
currently have two interns and will add a
third in January. Attendance at our monthly
community circle has greatly increased, and
NVC classes for returnees, taught by returnees, have begun.
We also moved to a new office space at
the University Christian Church, where our
neighbors are like-minded nonprofits, including a group that campaigns against the
death penalty. We now have a convenient
location with space for workshops and retreats; we can host the monthly community
circle for returnees and friends; and we
were able to occupy a comfortable lounge
at the church for our homecoming celebration.
The Freedom Project board gathers for its yearly retreat.
And now we are determined to proceed towards our new goals.
We believe that expansion of our programs to the Airway Heights and Walla Walla prisons is possible. We also feel
encouraged by the Department of Correction’s (DOC) invitation to work with prisoners’ families and friends and are
conducting a survey to diagnose their needs and interests.
Our third goal is to double the number of donors to sustain our
efforts into the future. We’ve got statistics that prove the effectiveness of our prison work. As you may know, recidivism drops to
30 percent for individuals who have taken at least 30 hours of NVC
or Mindfulness training. Do you have friends who should know
about this amazing fact? Do you know generous people who want
to invest in the transformation of prisoners into peacemakers?
Interested in NVC?
To find out about courses offered in your area,
please contact [email protected], call 206653-4265, or visit the Northwest Compassionate
Communication website www.nwcompass.org.
We welcome your ideas about our growth and future. Please share your dreams with us. We count on your help in
this transformative work!
www.FreedomProjectSeattle.org
Office: 4759 15th Ave NE, Suite 301, Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: (206) 325-5678
Mailing: PO Box 31191, Seattle, WA 98103
Email: [email protected]