Works of Justice
Works of Justice is a monthly newsletter from PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing that spotlights key figures, writers, and artists who are critically reshaping the conversation on mass incarceration, advocacy, and justice in the United States.
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Inquiries may be sent to Malcolm Tariq ([email protected]), senior manager of editorial projects for Prison and Justice Writing.
Works of Justice Blog Posts
Works of Justice: Temperature Check, COVID-19 Behind Bars, Vol. One
A new rapid response series from PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing Program, featuring original creative reportage by incarcerated writers. More
Works of Justice: How to Write a Novel in a Month (While in Prison), Week 3
Updates from week 3 of our NaNoWriMo challenge. Four currently incarcerated fiction writers are working as peer facilitators with writing groups in the prisons where they live. More
Works of Justice: An Interview with Raquel Almazán
A conversation with Raquel Almazán about her writing, her play La Paloma Prisoner and her fight against mass incarceration. More
Works of Justice: How to Write a Novel in a Month (While in Prison), Week 2
Updates from week 2 of our NaNoWriMo challenge. Four currently incarcerated fiction writers are working as peer facilitators with writing groups in the prison where they live. More
Works of Justice: How to Write a Novel in a Month (While in Prison)
This November, we are proud to partner with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to pilot a new aspect of our mentor program that takes the concept of mentorship out… More
Works of Justice: Sarah Wang on Bearing Witness
"When we write our own stories, and the stories of those who are unable to write their own, we are choosing to not submit to language used in service… More
The PEN Ten: Jevon Jackson on Uncompromising Truth and What Makes for Good Narrative
"Good Narratives create a world that we can identify with, populated with people we can relate to, and regardless of the plot or the characters' journey . . .… More
Works of Justice: A Brief Interview with Poet Edward Ji
"Writing is not 'resistance.' This places counts me eight times a day, but does not know I’m here. Like winter, life does not care if you die. It is… More
As I Hear the Rain
In this week's special edition of the Illustrated PEN, we present "As I Hear the Rain" a series of illustrations that accompany winning manuscripts from the 2019 Prison Writing… More
Works of Justice: An Interview with Punk-Writer Sean Thomas Dunne
"Cathartic release is a byproduct of my desire to say something that matters to you." More
