“ORoffering training courses and new opportunities for social insertion within the prison is a first step to find the strength to react and look to the future with greater confidence “says the lawyer Paola Severino, former Minister of Justice and creator of the Severino Foundationwithin whose walls, following a confrontation between lawyers Eleonora Di Benedetto and Mattia Zecca, the idea of the creative writing workshop, “Speak up”aimed at women detained at the High Security section of the Rebibbia women’s prison.
Writing helps to bring out the voice
Making one’s voice heard, often entangled in the bars of a penitentiary institution, is the goal of the project which has been so successful that it has become a permanent laboratory.
«Sometimes – says Zecca, coordinator of the laboratory – the women inmates come here for the understandable interest in an activity that comes from the outside. It’s a bit like, through this weekly appointment in prison, they managed to create a bridge with the world beyond the bars. But then the first meeting is enough to open the doors of one’s soul and become passionate about writing, thanks to the professionalism of authors such as Valentina Farinaccio and Valerio Callieri, with which an empathic relationship of mutual listening is created ».
Letters that cross the bars of Rebibbia
What breaks the ice is the invitation to write a letter to address to a loved one. “This writing exercise gives free rein to held emotions. Stories that are not openly autobiographical come out, in which the experiences of these women are blended with their creativity »says Zecca, who is also a writer.
No woman is ever obliged to declare the crime that led her to prison, to constitute the hallmark of the laboratory are the expressive tools made available to offer them the opportunity to tell about themselves, with the tip of a pen, sharing experiences and feelings.
The result is a mosaic of stories from different countries and social contexts, interlocked with the glue of suffering.
The birth of a collective novel
“By combining these stories that hold pieces of life, currently led by the writer Valerio Callieri, women start editing work that will soon lead to the creation of a single collective novel “ explains the creator of “Fuori la voce”. Proud to ensure, through literary expression, the educational function of the sentence, as provided for by the 3rd paragraph of article 27 of the Constitution.
To encourage women inmates to read and, at the same time, increase their command of writing, inside the “G. Stefanini ”of Rebibbia, are also planned periodic meetings with Italian writers, “Inside the pages”.
Humanity in prison, beyond any prejudice
“It is undeniable – specifies Zecca – the initial reticence to tell one’s own stories with a strong painful component, but the introspective process offered by writing allows them a greater knowledge of themselves and, therefore, helps them to unfold, sometimes even with irony ».
As in the case of Giulia, like many other women inmates, with a past marked by male abuse, which has managed to exorcise its pain between the pages written on impulse and then read with great pathos.
“In the collective ideal, the prison is a dark place, with gloomy hues, but through our commitment we remind the whole society how much humanity pulsates within those walls.»He concludes, trusting the desire to cross regional borders to bring“ Out the voice ”to every corner of Italy, in synergy with other associations.
A moment from the rap music workshop held by Kento Credit @Tony Polo
An opportunity for redemption in the Catanzaro juvenile prison
In fact, there are many realities that offer an opportunity for redemption through cultural activities in prisons: going down to the tip of the boot, to involve the minors detained at the Criminal Institute for Minors of Catanzaro there is the rapper Kento, Francesco Carlo, who brings them closer to the writing and recording of rap verses.
A difficult life translated into rap verses
“For Generation Z, rap is a natural language, which they are used to. I don’t have to explain anything to him, most of them spontaneously express themselves in rap verse. There is no better language to help these young people, between 14 and 17 years old, to talk about themselves “declares Kento, proud of the workshop he holds, once a week, in Catanzaro, thanks to Permanent Cultural Presidium promoted by the Crisi Come Opportunity association, also active in other Italian prisons.
The pen digs into the lives of young prisoners
Channeling anger and frustration for the condition in which they find themselves in creativity is the goal successfully pursued by Kento, who says “I’m not interested in creating little rappers at all, but rather approaching the expressive means closest to them. adolescents who, before attending this workshop, were unable to express their emotions. Now they put the pen on the paper and manage to dig inside themselves“.
To come to the surface are conflicting feelings, but to prevail is always the thirst for normality, for them enclosed in the outings with friends or girlfriend as well as in the dream of a family, often, never had.
Anger channeled in the right verses
«As soon as I arrive, the first question I ask him is ‘What do we want to talk about in these verses?’ and a river of more or less feasible proposals is unleashed. Some time ago – he remembers with a hint of a smile – they replied that they wanted to write a text to offend the mothers of the judges who often arrogate to themselves the right to judge their lives, without dwelling on their past. By explaining to them that no results are obtained with insults, I helped them to write a text in which they tell their mistakes and their experiences, to which institutions often give little importance, but also their desire for change. When, during the Christmas rehearsal, they found themselves singing that text together with the judges, they had the proof that that was the right approach ».
The “bars” of emotions
Italians, foreigners, poor, orphans, illiterate or educated: the origin of the young prisoners or the ability to create rhymes immediately matters little, only the message to be transmitted is important and therefore the emotion that vibrates in the air and is enclosed in the “bars”.
Bars, thus the lines of a rap verse are commonly defined. Like the metal ones of the cells. Like the pen marks on the names of children who no longer attend workshops because they have grown up and have to move to adult prison or because they are finally free. Bars, like the title of the book in which Kento embodies this extraordinary experience.
The road to inclusion
“In addition to giving these young people an opportunity for redemption, we try to get their voice out, raising awareness in society that must offer them more opportunities for become free and aware new adults “ Kento states, showing the video de “My street”the recently released song, recorded with professional technical equipment inside the juvenile prison.
The fear of freedom
Meanwhile, the boys are already grappling with new texts to write, new themes to explore, like the love they hope awaits them beyond the gates. «Inevitably, it happens that someone arrives at the laboratory with an air of defiance, but then, during our weekly appointments, everyone gets passionate until they hope to have more opportunities to perform live. It’s not easy, there is an authorization process to ask, but let’s not give up: we aim to spread the stanzas of these guys who, often, fear freedom, because they never knew it “ Kento glosses.
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