Moana Rawlins. Photo by Jerrey Roberts, Daily Hampshire Gazette

Congratulations to Moana Rawlins, Voices from Inside volunteer facilitator and VFI/Out performer. Moana was profiled in the Daily Hampshire Gazette following the reading of her one act play: “Behind bars: VOICES,  at Smith College.  Moana is an Ada Comstock scholar at Smith College and hopes to to use theatre to help bring together community members with previously incarcerated people.

As a facilitator, a board member, a writer and a performer, Moana has given so much to VFI.  We love watching her successes!

On Sunday, March 11, the Great Darkness Writing Group is hosting a reading to benefit VFI.

On Sunday, March 11, the Great Darkness Writing Group will host a reading to benefit Voices from Inside.

The afternoon will feature local writers Marianne Banks, Jeanne Borfitz, Jennifer Jacobson, Lisa Drnec Kerr, Patricia Lee Lewis, Alan Lipp, Edie Lipp, Pat Riggs, Jacqueline Sheehan, and Marion VanArsdell.

The reading will be held from 3-5 p.m. at Elmer’s Store, 396 Main Street, Ashfield, Massachusetts. A donation of $5 is suggested.  Donations collected at the show will allow Voices from Inside to provide creative writing workshops for currently and formerly incarcerated women in Western Massachusetts.

The fall issue of the newsletter will be published in September; be sure to send us your e-mail address to receive a copy!

The event, which will take place in Northampton will include many veteran VFI performers, but also introduce women who have just been released into the community.

Cathy McNally, volunteer director of VFI/Out, says that the women performers are eager to share their writing with others.

“Many of these women have experienced periods of great isolation, for some it was recent and for others, it was a long time ago. They are all eager to break that isolation and share the news of their experience with the audience. The women love performing and are empowered by the impact they can have,” McNally said. “Recently after one of our writers received a standing ovation at a fundraiser, she said, ‘Oh my gosh, I made people cry – in a good way!’ The women are often shocked that anyone would want to listen to them. Hearing these women read what they have written about their incarceration, their addiction, their hopes reminds us what we can easily forget — that people who happen to go to jail are just like us, with the same feelings, hopes, and sorrows.”

Tickets to the event are just $10. This Is About Me will feature performances by the women of VFI, followed by a reception where guests can meet the women. New VFI T-shirts, anthologies, and chapbooks will be for sale.

Details:
This Is About Me
Saturday, August 20, 2011
7 p.m.
Frances Crowe Community Room, Media Education Foundation
60 Masonic Street, Northampton, MA 01060
Tickets: $10, available at the door
Language and themes are not suitable for children.

For more information, contact Cathy McNally at (413) 575-5164 or (413) 586-5215 or Robin Glenn, Executive Director of Voices from Inside at (413) 642-0724.