On today's show, we look at how art can highlight the struggles of incarcerated women, build solidarity with them across prison walls, and fight against the erasure and censorship inherent to incarceration. 

First, we'll hear about a dance performance called "If I Give You My Sorrows" that's built around the complex ways that incarcerated women relate to their beds. Then, we'll learn about an art exhibition, "The Only Door I Can Open," that's curated and created by incarcerated artists, writers and poets inside Central California Women's Facility.

Featuring

Jo Kreiter, artistic director of Flyaway Productions and creative director of If I Give You My Sorrows Betty McKay, formerly incarcerated advocate and organizer Tomiekia Johnson, incarcerated writer and co-curator of The Only Door I Can Open Chantell-Jeannette Black, incarcerated artist and co-curator of The Only Door I Can Open Rahsaan “New York” Thomas, executive director of Empowerment Avenue

Credits

Making Contact Team

Episode Host: Lucy Kang Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Editor: Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong Engineer: Jeff Emtman  Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain

Special thanks to Christine Lashaw from Empowerment Avenue for recording interviews with Tomiekia and Chantell that were part of this show.

Music

The music in this episode was excerpted from compositions for If You Give Me Your Sorrows.

“Skewed”

Carla Kihlstedt – voice, music box, field recordings Elijah Oberman – voice, synths Music/sound design – Carla Kihlstedt & Eli Oberman “Where Betty Can Go Find Betty” 

Pamela Z – voice, processing, MIDI instruments Vocal samples excerpted from an interview with Betty McKay Music by Pamela Z “Closure”

Cole Kamen-Greene – trumpet Carla Kihlstedt – voice, violin Devin Ray Hoff – bass Matthias Bossi – percussion Music by Carla Kihlstedt (with structural advice from Elijah Oberman) “Prayer”

Carla Kihlstedt – voice Music by Carla Kihlstedt “Salve”

Kalyn Harewood – spoken voice (excerpted from an interview with Tomiekia Johnson) Carla Kihlstedt – violin, nyckelharpa, marxophone, voice Elijah Oberman – violin, sound design Jeremy Flower – synth programming Jon Evans – bass, guitar Matthias Bossi – percussion Music by Carla Kihlstedt

 

The Only Door I Can Open and If I Give You My Sorrows presented by Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in 2025: www.ybca.org/event/the-only-door-i-can-open and www.ybca.org/event/if-i-give-you-my-sorrows The Only Door I Can Open virtual exhibition hosted by MoAD: www.moadsf.org/virtual-exhibition Empowerment Avenue website: www.empowermentave.org Flyaway Productions: www.flyawayproductions.com Museum of the African Diaspora: www.moadsf.org The music featured in If I Give You My Sorrows is available for purchase: http://ifigiveyoumysorrows.bandcamp.com Petition for Tomiekia Johnson’s request for commutation https://www.change.org/p/gavin-newsom-grant-commutation-for-incarcerated-survivor-tomiekia-johnson

Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.