When it’s more than just the work
Roxanne Banks-Williams, Director of Education & Training
As an organizer for the PA League of Young Voters Education Fund, one of the most rewarding experiences has always been the outreach we do at the jails (like the Allegheny County Jail and the Schuman Juvenile Detention Center). Most often we have found that the inmates or residents are genuinely happy to have us visit them. They are not only happy to see us, but they appreciate the message that we are bringing to them. They are happy to know that we care enough to make sure they know their rights as citizens, and that we are helping to make sure their voices are heard and their votes are counted.
Every once in a while we get a special request. Usually people ask if we are hiring. We are not usually able to help much there. Sometimes we are asked for connections to resources. We are sometimes able to assist with that stuff. Then, sometimes we come across someone who just needs a little love.
This time around we met a young lady named Tracey. She was especially receptive to us when we visited with her and the other ladies in the Second-Chance Parenting program at the Allegheny County Jail. I think she may have felt the friendly vibe and the unconditional love that brings us to this work. She went out on a limb and wrote Carly and I both letters. She basically told her story, and how she appreciated our work, and asked for help…she asked for a friend. She has no family here, and the family she has left has disowned her. She is away from her native home of Philadelphia, and her mom passed away while she was incarcerated here in Pittsburgh. She gets no letters, no visits, has no one to call…
Her story touched my heart not just because it is sad, but because I know she is not the only one with a story like this. So, in return to her leap of faith, I too went out on limb. I looked up some information about Book’Em (a program run through the Thomas Merton Center that links inmates with literary resources, etc). They had a resource guide that I was able to print out for her (including pen pal programs). I sent her this info in a care package along with some other stuff we had around the office. Before I was able to get this out to her, Tracey surprised us with a call! We talked until our time ran out, and it was possibly the best thing we could’ve done for her.
I made it clear that we would not be able to accept collect calls from her or anyone else regularly (due to time and money constraints), but that we are doing things out here to be able to make things better for her. She expressed the desire to have some of the luxuries in life that bring us comfort — such as body wash or perfume. Things that so many of us take for granted, mean the world to someone who can’t have them. I’m hoping that sharing this story with our supporters will encourage you all to do something to help.
We’d like to be able to give some of these ladies who have nothing something to look forward to. I am researching to figure out the best way how to do that (whether we can send a package or if we would only be able to give money and have them buy the items they like themselves I’m not sure yet.) If any one knows details about this, please contact us at the League!
-Roxanne