Michele Tarter is associate professor of English at the College of New Jersey.   She 
 obtained her PhD in English with a specialization in Early American Literature and Women's
 Literature from the University of Colorado in Boulder. 

 Q: What was your reaction to "Freedom Road"?

 A:  I cried; I was very moved.  I was moved by her sensitivity and by the way she juxtaposed 
 images of prison culture with the family members on the outside.  It was very artistically done. 
 Having done this she captured a great deal of what it really is like (in the prison).  She captured
 the spirit of that place and has done a service to the women, whose biggest fear was that she
 would misrepresent.

 Q: What do you hope "Freedom Road" will achieve?

 A:  My hope is that people will be inspired to create more programs like this.  There is a need in
 prison culture--women and men need more education.  It's been proven statistically to reduce
 recidivism, which is the revolving door theory.  They go in, get out, and go back in.  Education
 proves to reduce that, yet programs are cut, especially in maximum security.  But what 
 volunteers can do is create these programs. 

 If women are reading and writing, they are growing, so it matters.  We need to lose the fear
 and the stereotypes that the media creates.  These are human beings and they too want to
 heal and grow.  Every human being needs some kind of writing workshop.  It can enhance self
 esteem when at an all time low.

 Q: How have you grown from working with prisoners and leading them through this 
 journey?

 A: I have grown monumentally from this work.  It makes me appreciate my life and my freedom,
 my community and my family so much more every moment of my life.  It makes me so much more
 connected to humankind.  These women teach me more about culture and society today than
 any book I could read or any person could mentor me.  They are my teachers.

 Go back to the "Woman is the Word" page