Social Justice Task Force of the month: Hope for Prisoners

The Hope for Prisoners Task Force will be featuring the art exhibit “Songs of a Caged Bird” during the month of September in the halls of UUCB. This exhibit was first on display for the month of June at Bonne Fete Art Gallery. Funds from HFPTF, the Racial Justice Task Force and a Social Justice Grant made this exhibit possible. Thanks also to Resilience Productions for the performance of selected poems last June. An abbreviated version of the performance will be held on Sunday, September 24th following a Habitat SJTF luncheon.

The artwork is that of UUCB member, Phillip Stroud. Some is digital art while others are his drawings with pastels or pen and ink. The large 4 part poster of his poem IamYou is best viewed from a distance to see what Danielle Bruce has hidden in it. She also did the screen prints of Phillip and two other poets, David Runyon and Birt Ford. Please consider taking time to sit and read their many poems displayed in notebooks under their photo. A framed explanation of the impetus for this art show, written by Chair Debbie Fish, is on the social justice table.

The task force will also be tabling in Fellowship Hall each Sunday of September to sell notecards with the art works of Phillip that represent 4 of our task forces. Some of these he had to create with a rubbery type of pencil as he had no other supplies. In addition, we will be selling stickers of his drawing to stop gun violence. All donations will help us to continue to purchase basic hygiene products for inmates who have no one else. They all express deep gratitude that someone “sees” them.

From Debbie Fish, Hope for Prisoners Task Force Chair