Using Video to Empower Children of Inmates

UgoNet - Children have become the collateral damage of the prison system. But in them is also great potential for collateral benefits. If a child can rise above the psychological and emotional barriers of a parent's incarceration, that child is far less likely to end up confined by physical barriers later in life. If that child can interpret, capture and share their environment and situation through film, they hold the power to change the way our communities understand the intersections of families and captivity.

In summer 2006, Maysles Institute partnered with the Incarcerated Mothers Program to teach six 8-12 year old kids how to create short videos of their lives, to be shared with their parents and community. Our goal was to offer these young people the experiences and tools that will empower them to create influential works of art while envisioning and realizing healthy futures. The program will continue with workshops this fall, and then regularly in spring.