Lock up or liberate: Prison community and the pursuit of lifelong learning
Created by Studio A Modeling, Etiquette, and Dance Academy, American, founded 2002. (2015). Prop from dance recital performance “Dance to Glory” by Studio A [Ink on cardboard]. National Museum of African American History and Culture; Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Studio A Modeling, Etiquette and Dance Academy of Baltimore, MD.
From the Editor:
As we navigate the ups and downs of life, it’s important to reflect on the experiences that have shaped us into the individuals we are today. These pasts vibrate along the concrete walls for those in the justice system; there is no escaping the reflection, be it one self-chosen, or that which has been externally imposed. Yet, none of us is defined by one choice, one situation; we are a result, and ever-evolving creatures comprised of a tapestry of experiences. This is not a solo experience, even if walking the corridors of a prison is. Our choices and experiences impact those immediately around us and ripple outward. In this collection of personal essays, by Ronald James Peirano, Phillip Vance Smith, and Randy Brennan, we see stories of choice, growth, perseverance, and a drive to impact the world in which they inhabit positively.
Ronald James Peirano shares in the first essay, “My life has been a journey of self-discovery and personal growth.” Peirano goes on to describe the challenges he has faced, as well as the triumphs that have molded him into the person he is now. His story reminds us that it is often through adversity that we find our greatest strength and resilience. In the following essay, Phillip Vance Smith II shares a similar sentiment: “I have always been driven to succeed and to make a positive impact on the world around me.” Smith’s words highlight the importance of having a sense of purpose and a commitment to using one’s skills and knowledge to make a difference. In the last essay, Randy Brennan points out “Although I still value my freedom, my focus now isn’t to feverishly try to earn it, but to invest in my personal education as a form of restitution, thereby gifting myself back to society, at some point, having chosen to reform my entire way of being.” All three of these men point out that investing in new experiences within their pursuit of education has shifted the focus from self to community. Regardless of the challenges we face, be it in a prison cell, the boardroom, within our families, a grocery aisle, on the metro, or in our own neighborhoods. Our ability to adapt, learn, and emerge stronger in community ultimately defines us.
As you read these essays, we hope you, too, reflect on and embrace their lessons as they relate to your journey. Remember that the obstacles you encounter are opportunities for growth and that your experiences, both positive and negative, are shaping you into the person you are meant to be. This too is a choice.
JSTOR Access in Prison Second Chance essay submissions
Ronald James Peirano, A letter
Phillip Vance Smith II, How Education Built a Better Me
Randy Brennan, My Learning Journey
The opinions and views expressed in these recordings, art, and posts are those of the authors and do not represent, reflect, or imply endorsement by ITHAKA.
About the authors
Ronald James Peirano
Ronald James Peirano #0060776
Currently @ Hutchinson Corr. Fac. East Unit 400 Halstead Street, Hutchinson, Ks. 67504
1986 – Graduated Highschool
1988 – Graduated Vo-Tech
1998 – Graduated Blackstone Law School
1999 – (?) Graduated Utilities Maintenance Butler County Community College
2016 – Two Years Training in Hospice
I was sentenced in 1994 to:
- Two Capital Murder – Hard 40’s
- One attempted 2nd degree Murder 7 to 10
- Spent first 28 years in Eldorado Corr. Facility – Max/Super Max
- Last 10 years @ E.D.C.F., worked in re entry dept. And for Butler Co, Com. College as tutor for G.E.D.
- Created Tutor Position @ Hutchinson Cor. Fac., and have been doing that work from 2022 to current.
Phillip Vance Smith II
I was born in Chicago during the winter of 1978. My mother moved us to Georgia shortly after. My father remained a stranger for most of my life. I lived a forgettable suburban childhood. We moved a lot during my teens, causing me to attend three high schools before dropping out at 16. A sense of social insecurity guided me to the wrong crowds and to prison.
In 2002, a jury convicted me of murder in North Carolina. A judge sentenced me to life without parole a week after my twenty-fourth birthday. Overburdened by the grief I caused as an impulsive youth, I turned to writing as a refuge. Poetry, fiction, and memoir helped me retrace the ragged path of my ruin to find change in the most hopeless place: prison. I cannot undo the harm I caused so many people, but I strive to prevent others from following in my footsteps.
I am the former editor of the Nash News, a prison newspaper. I am a Smart Justice Fellow with the ACLU of NC. I am a member of The Society of Professional Journalists. I am a member of the American Penal Press Contest Advisory Board. I am supported by Empowerment Avenue, a nonprofit that aides incarcerated journalists. And I work with Emancipate NC to right systemic wrongs. I write to better the world we all live in, whether in prison or out.
View my most recently published articles at Clippings.me
See more articles at KatBodrie.com
See my blog at http://phillipvancesmith2.com/phills-blog/
Randy Brennan
Randy is a devoted husband, a proud father, and has just earned his first college degree. He enjoys writing about overcoming the challenges he’s faced during confinement with hopes of helping improve the criminal justice system. He has gained a combined 10 years as a service dog trainer (to view his video testimony, go to YouTube Summit Assistance Dogs – Monroe Correctional Complex Partnership (2018). He is currently training dogs for the Brigadoon Service Dogs Program at Washington Corrections Center for Men.
Learn more about Randy: YouTube Summit Assistance Dogs – Monroe Correctional Complex Partnership (2018)
About the editor
Elizabeth Shatswell serves as the Correctional Education Manager at JSTOR Access in Prison. A strong advocate for the transformative power of storytelling, she believes community is created through the sharing of our collective tales. Elizabeth is an alumnus of the Freedom Education Project Puget Sound (FEPPs), the Sunshine Lady Foundation, and the University of Puget Sound.