Open Road Prison Education Project
I’m no longer a volunteer with the Oregon Department of Corrections, but in the 13 years that I went to prison every week, I met a lot of interesting people. Currently, I have a lot of pen pals who are serving time in prison. I get and send several long letters each week. In addition to our correspondence through the mail, I send them books that I think will enrich their life experience and change their inner landscape in positive ways. I think about what books have meant the most to me, what books changed the way I understand and experience the world. And I ask myself: “If I was in prison, what book(s) would I want to get in the mail?” (In 2020, the Open Road spent just over $1400 on books for prison residents.)
One of my pen pals, who had never read a play before coming to prison, was in some plays that I directed at Two Rivers prison. He decided that he wanted to read every play on a list of “The One Hundred Greatest Plays of All Time.” He has now done that, and kept going. He’s read more than two hundred plays. He is educating himself in a way that gives him pleasure. He is following his heart’s desire.
I’m currently (3/21) studying Hamlet with two residents of Deer Ridge prison.
Due to COVID-19, Oregon prisons have been closed to programs and visiting, and people living in prison have been more isolated than ever. I have been sending a weekly peace, love, happiness & understanding newsletter to men in prison since March 19th, 2020. Currently, I’m sending it to 33 prison residents. See our EVENTS page for the current issue. For back issues click on “Previous Events” on the EVENTS page.
One of the central ideas behind The Open Road is that most of what we learn in life we learn outside of school. The Open Road Prison Education Project is a small-scale personal approach to a “learning dialogue.”
If you would like to make a donation to support this work, please go to the DONATE page on this website. Thanks.
peace & love
–Johnny