Featured Publications

Journalist & Editor Covering Justice, Politics, and Community Stories

May 3, 2023
The Appeal
Prison Labor: Where ‘Dead-End’ Jobs Meet 21st Century Slavery

Inside the towering walls and razor wire fences of U.S. prisons, slavery remains legal—and it is carried out with little oversight, often under horrific conditions.

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April 20, 2023
Jewish Currents
In the Hole

Five incarcerated men on the minute-by-minute experience of solitary confinement.

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April 5, 2023
The Appeal
Fighting for a Chance to Prove I’m Ready to Return Home

I don’t know if I’ll ever receive the resentencing hearing I was once promised, but I do know this system must change.

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March 27, 2023
The Appeal
Washington State Bill Would Undo ‘Superpredator’-Era Sentencing Scheme

Under state law, adult prison sentences are automatically enhanced based on prior youth adjudications.

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February 15, 2023
The Appeal
Washington Prison Mishandled Court Mail, Impeded Access to Justice

Officials delayed the delivery of critical documents for months, leading to the premature dismissal of at least two appeals filed by incarcerated men.

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December 22, 2022
THE APPEAL
What It Means to Spend the Holidays Behind Bars

Incarcerated individuals navigate the holiday season with a mix of loneliness and fleeting joy, finding comfort in small traditions, acts of kindness, and reflections on the outside world.

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December 9, 2022
The Progressive Magazine
Lessons on Love and Incarceration from Chicken Sticks the Dog

In his essay, Christopher Blackwell reflects on how his wife’s rescue dog, Betsy (affectionately known as Chicken Sticks), taught her unconditional love, enabling her to embrace a relationship with him despite his incarceration.

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November 27, 2022
The Progressive
The Chicken Farmer and the Soccer Mom

In their joint essay, Christopher Blackwell and Jamie Beth Cohen explore how their Empowerment Avenue collaboration bridges prison and suburban life, fostering growth and mutual understanding.

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November 5, 2022
HuffPost
These Dogs Live In Prison With Us ― And It's Created Something Beautiful

"There is something special about sharing space with a living thing that doesn’t know your past ― a space where judgment is nonexistent."

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October 27, 2022
Jewish Currents
“They’re Destroying Our Support Networks”

Under the guise of Covid protections, prisoners are denied family visits, yet forced to work through outbreaks.

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