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The prison classroom was where she could finally be herself. Now it’s gone

    I volunteered at a Maine detention center for 10 years. Then the Trump administration cut its programs – because we made space for women like Ashley

    Every Monday for over a decade, I left my home on Peaks Island, Maine, boarded a ferry to town then drove inland to the Maine correctional center to lead a creative writing class for incarcerated women.

    After a 30-minute drive, I park my car, walk to the facility, leave my cellphone and keys with the front desk guard, walk through a metal detector and several sets of sliding doors until I reach the women’s unit. My classroom is a tiny space, bare bones, with plastic chairs, cinderblock walls and fluorescent lights.

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    ​I volunteered at a Maine detention center for 10 years. Then the Trump administration cut its programs – because we made space for women like AshleyEvery Monday for over a decade, I left my home on Peaks Island, Maine, boarded a ferry to town then drove inland to the Maine correctional center to lead a creative writing class for incarcerated women.After a 30-minute drive, I park my car, walk to the facility, leave my cellphone and keys with the front desk guard, walk through a metal detector and several sets of sliding doors until I reach the women’s unit. My classroom is a tiny space, bare bones, with plastic chairs, cinderblock walls and fluorescent lights. Continue reading… US news | The Guardian

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