Connection in Places Built for Isolation with Shazad Carbaidwala & Emily Cashell

Making a bad decision or causing harm does not make you less of a person. At Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS), Shazad Carbaidwala and Emily Cashell emphasize that every incarcerated person deserves to build meaningful relationships. In their discussion with Bridgette and Lindsey, they dive into how connection can shape a person’s path after release; the challenges they face when resources are limited or nonexistent; and more.

Key Takeaways

• Doing visits with incarcerated people builds connections and relationships they may not otherwise have with people outside of the prison.
• Providing incarcerated people with full control over how the conversation flows, what they speak about, and how they feel during the visit reminds them that they have autonomy in their lives, even in a highly-controlled environment.
• Lack of access to community and resources due to distance from family or friends, where the prison is located, and other factors can seriously affect their transition from prison to reentering communities.
• Formerly incarcerated people living in our communities are human beings; they are members of our communities that also need and desire connection with others to succeed.
• For PVS visitors, doing this work means caring for themselves in a variety of ways; being able to show up for others cannot happen without knowing their own boundaries.

Resources Mentioned

• None this week, but please visit Prisoner Visitation and Support’s website for more information on their amazing work!

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☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

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Brought to you by Volare, TraumaTies: Untangling Societal Harm & Healing After Crime is a podcast that creates space and conversations to dissect the structural and systemic knots that keep us from addressing trauma.

Rooted in a belief that survivors of crime deserve respect for their dignity in the aftermath of victimization, Volare seeks to empower survivors by informing them of all of the options available and working to transform existing response systems to be more inclusive of the diverse needs that survivors often have after crime.

Volare also provides free, holistic, and comprehensive advocacy, therapeutic, and legal services to survivors of all crime types. Visit our website to learn more about how to access our trauma-informed education training and how to partner with us to expand survivor-defined justice.