Project Mend shares untold stories of formerly incarcerated individuals
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While volunteering in the Syracuse area and writing a book on higher education in prisons, Syracuse University professor Patrick Berry observed a lack of support for people released from prison and their families. He decided to create Project Mend — a literary magazine that focuses on incarcerated individuals and their experiences.
“I realized that Project Mend can’t solve everything,” Berry said. “But I really believe in this sense of community, this real value of bringing people together and the power of writing — the power of the humanities to help them.”
Project Mend is a two-part program that includes a publishing and humanities program in Syracuse, as well as a national publication. The organization aims to give people impacted by the justice system the opportunity to come together, share their stories and learn new skills.
The editing team, composed of justice system-impacted people, met weekly last semester. Led by Berry, they sift through magazine submissions and conduct community-building events, like seeing “Clyde’s” at Syracuse Stage or attending speaker events.
On Saturday, selected writers, the editing team and members of the Syracuse community gathered to celebrate the launch of Project Mend’s second issue. Writers read their pieces aloud to the attendees — both in person and on Zoom — and editors presented awards.
Michael Crawford wrote “The Doors that Slam Shut,” a poem featured in the latest edition of Project Mend’s magazine. He’s been published before, but Crawford said Project Mend allows people to hear about prison issues from a new perspective. Rather than learning about them from a political news source, the project shares stories that focus on how individuals and communities are affected by prison.
Crawford took writing seriously after an experience during his time in a maximum security prison. They held a writing class and an elderly woman came to the prison to teach the inmates. Before prison, he had never been a writer — he dropped out of high school and earned a G.E.D.
“She was somebody’s grandmother, who was spending time with these criminals,” Crawford said. “She could be anywhere else on the weekend when she was coming to spend time for us, not getting paid for it. So it made me take my writing seriously.”
Michael Willacy was also incarcerated and became an editor for Project Mend this year. He enjoyed the process of editing and selecting the work for publication. The team went through hundreds of submissions and cut them down to a select few.
Although he didn’t submit a piece to Project Mend this year, Willacy has been published previously in other magazines. Having published four books himself, he wanted to focus on providing an opportunity for new writers to get their voices heard.
“It was therapeutic for me to write and to get my words out,” Willacy said. “My writing was a way for me to connect to a different community to come into peaceful spaces and use that time.”
Now a judge for the project, Brian Shaw was a member during Project Mend’s inaugural year. He served 21 years in prison and is now pursuing a master’s degree at Columbia University.
“It was a lovely experience, not only to build bridges further with Syracuse University but to create a family,” Shaw said. “Reviewing pieces, better being in tune with not only free persons but also those incarcerated.”
Cassandra Roshu | Photo Editor
The 2024 edition of Project Mend is produced in print and online. It highlights the voices of incarcerated people and the impact the justice system has on their lives and family.
The project helps create an understanding of the community’s needs and helps bring those needs to fruition, Shaw said.
Shaw said it was nice to see people carrying the program forward. This year’s reception had a higher attendance than last year, and Shaw hopes the project continues to help people grow.
“There are a number of different topics, not just dealing with incarceration that people can build bridges upon, right?” Shaw said. “And it would be nice just to have the imaginative developmental minds of students at Syracuse University.”
Berry said when people discuss the issue of higher education in prison, there is often an emphasis on recidivism and finding jobs for formerly incarcerated people. Although these issues are important, he finds it important also to “pay attention to the joy of learning in the moment.”
“That’s been one of the most rewarding things is watching this community come together,” Berry said. “Through the discussion, sharing writing, you see something that is beneficial, but it’s not beneficial in a quantitative way.”
SU junior Katherine Nikolau works for Project Mend as an editor and research assistant. She heard about the project through Intertext, a magazine for the writing department which is run by Berry.
Nikalau emphasized the importance of incarcerated stories being told, and reiterated Berry’s point that it’s crucial to also highlight the “creativity, playfulness and joy” of incarcerated people.
“Seeing it come together in this way and then getting to hear people read it and celebrate it is so amazing,” Nikolau said.
