Community members who were formerly incarcerated will share their experiences at Indy Reads on June 6.
“We become more compassionate when we hear somebody’s story,” said Ellen Munds, the executive director of Storytelling Arts of Indiana, a local nonprofit sponsoring the event. “And, in exchange, storytellers become more comfortable with who they are and feel heard.”
Indy Reads, located in Fountain Square, will host the event at 1066 Virginia Ave. from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Audience members will hear from three individuals about their lives before, during and after prison. It will also feature a Q&A and a list of local organizations that work with former inmates.
According to a 2019 report from the American Civil Liberties Union, about 43,200 Hoosiers are in state prison or jail, and the imprisonment rate is five times higher for Black residents. When people are released, Munds said, they can face barriers to successfully reentering society. In 2022, Indiana’s recidivism rate was about 30% for people released three years prior.
“A lot of apartments won’t rent to somebody who has a criminal history,” Munds told Mirror Indy. “And if you don’t have a place to live, it’s hard to find a job. If you don’t have a job, how do you support yourself without going back to something illegal?”
The event, also sponsored by the Garden Community Church and Trusted Mentors, has a “pay what you can” donation policy to support Indy Reads’ work to improve literacy rates in the city.
Mirror Indy reporter Mary Claire Molloy covers health. Reach her at 317-721-7648 or email maryclaire.molloy@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @mcmolloy7.
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