"Life Stories gave me my truth. It allowed me to get raw & real. Life Stories is my friend & my sister. I do not make this plural, because together, WE ARE ONE. Life Stories taught me what it looks like when you love yourself."
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Our Life Stories project features two groups of women serving life or long sentences at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. The storytellers who speak on their journeys and the media crew who capture the intimate stories of their incarcerated sisters.
The Storytellers
The Media crew
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The storyteller group worked with Professor Michal Raizen to learn about oral histories, how to compile the list of questions for one another, and the best way to conduct the interviews with each other. The media crew worked with award winning documentarian Nikki Swift on how to properly set up lights, audio, cameras and backdrops to record their ORW sisters in these intimate interviews.
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These stories are powerful and moving, and they offer a unique glimpse into the lives of women who are often disregarded. They talk about their childhoods, their families, their crimes, and their hopes for the future. They also talk about the challenges of life in prison and the importance of community.
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We are grateful to the women who shared their stories, and we hope that you will listen to them with an open heart.
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Subscribe to our digital newsletter to find out where the Life Stories multimedia exhibit will be on display next.
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This project made possible with generous support from Ohio Humanities & GCAC.
