On November 9th I was at Mountainview Correctional Facility to see If Not Us, Then Who?”, a play created and performed by eight men. In the audience were fellow Maine Inside Out Board members, MIO staff, family members and friends, and those responsible for the facility: corrections officers, the Warden, and also the Commissioner of Corrections.
Bringing theatre to life for these men—some first time artists and some with MIO experience—meant facing fear, letting in vulnerability, not giving up, and ultimately holding onto the belief that telling the truth about their lived experience would make a difference in their lives and the lives of others. Every man spoke of becoming family to each other, and of wanting more of these opportunities to create and perform. In telling their collective story, they critiqued the system--the promises made and then broken, the procedures not followed, the ways incarceration made their trauma worse. I was on the edge of my seat and deeply moved by their clarity and their courage.
Toward the end of their production, “I EXIST” was the refrain repeated by each man. It was courageous testimony to their existence and their humanity.
And it was a powerful demand for the transformation of the carceral system in Maine.
In 2022, Maine Inside Out broadened the scope of our work so that the continuum of creating and producing live theatre goes from middle school to
adulthood. And we are scaling to create exciting new opportunities for MIO alumni to be trained as facilitators.
Now more than ever, this strategic direction supports our purpose “to build a world where everyone matters and belongs.” And now more than ever, I’m aware of my part to reach out to my own community, raising money and support for MIO. These eight men made my job easier. I’ve doubled my campaign goal this year from $1000 to $2000. I hope you will consider giving generously. Indeed, “if not us, then who?”
