You have probably never seen a pink orange. Neither have I and yet, I figuratively exist. We exist. Pink = Lady/She/Her and Orange = Incarcerated (uniform) and an ode to the southernmost state. Pink + Orange = Me and other incarcerated women. While I am specifically the Pink Orange, I represent incarcerated women. Currently, women represent the fast growing carceral population – with Black women representing the largest ethnoracial group. While most literature focuses on the pains of imprisonment, few consider the intersectionality of race and gender. Therefore, there is a need for meaningful advocacy and implementation for gender and culturally-responsive programming and policies that are needed to end the perpetual punishment of justice-affected women.
The Pink Orange joined Brave Behind Bars (BBB) to represent women who are bravely moving forward despite being behind bars. While women represent a small number of residents at this particular DOC facility, we are doing more than merely existing. We are surviving and thriving. Several of my fellow Pink Oranges (as well as incarcerated women across the U.S.) are actively involved in courses such as MIT's BBB that will not only improve employability post-incarcerartion, but also creates a space that allows us to acquire knowledge, highlight our creativity, and bring awareness to an often overlooked population – women. Joining BBB also serves as a tool to advocate for additional programming and educational services for women who are currently, Brave Behind Bars.
What I hope to learn with MIT's BBB course is to develop and design a website that will provide a gateway into the lives of Pink Oranges while highlighting their talents and creativity despite their circumstances.