The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1306768
T he pain given space to breathe, the therapeutics are straightforward, and so is the clinical intervention. "If you don't express what you're feeling, it's going to manifest in negative behavior," she stated flatly. Unfortunately, prison visitations provide more grief than any child should have to express. e distance and the expense act to lessen the frequency of visits and reunifications are far from ideal. Pat downs and checkpoints begin the dehumanization, and emotions are kept at a distance. us, physical contact is limited to a kiss at hello and goodbye. "So it's the conditions that make it difficult," she lamented. Additionally, Covid-19 has increased the divide and upped the uncertainty. ere's no visitation rights, the prison phone systems are overloaded and information is scarce in terms of the health of their parents. "It's absolutely added pressure," she said. erapy isn't the only release, though. e dedicated teacher staff forms long term relationships, and mix each aernoon up with play, homework help, dance, and drama. But these kids don't require any education on mass incarceration, and the over policing that forces their neighborhoods to live the injustice everyday. e sharing then becomes a form of empowerment. "We try to teach young people that those trials and tribulations make us strong," she asserted. Nonetheless, Content refuses to stand pat and expansion is an ever present idea. How could it not be. "e services we provide are impactful and save lives!" she concluded. CPNYC reimagines a just society that values the purpose of every child impacted by mass incarceration and removes barriers to create opportunities for children to thrive and achieve their human potential. CPNYC is a community- centered organization that partners with children and families impacted by mass incarceration to dismantle the stigma and heal from the trauma plaguing Black and Brown communities. CPNYC also provides One-to-One Mentoring: Project Dream, One-to-One Tutoring and a Teen Program. To stay connected to CPNYC and see the program in action follow follow them on Instagram and Facebook @childrenofpromisenyc or visit www.cpnyc.org. V U E N J . C O M 98