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
Temperature Check, Vol. Five: The Women’s Issue feat. Elizabeth Hawes and Keri Blakinger
Women’s Issue featuring work from Elizabeth Hawes and an interview with The Marshall Project’s Keri Blakinger. More
Temperature Check, Vol. Four feat. Vincent Schiraldi and Edward Ji
Youth issue featuring original memoir from Edward Ji, news, advocacy, and an interview with Vincent Schiraldi, co-director of the Columbia Justice Lab. More
Temperature Check, Vol. Three Feat. Jeremy Wilson and Lawrence Bartley
A graphic narrative of Attica prison under pandemic panic, a creative prompt to conjure feeling and how The Marshall Project brings news to prison. More
Temperature Check, Vol. Two Feat. Justin Rovillos Monson & Josie Duffy Rice
Two pandemic poems, a quarantine remix creative prompt and how The Appeal's newsroom is pivoting in response to COVID-19. More
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