For me art is much more than a poem, drawing, painting, sculpture or any one specific design. Art is a sanctuary where the mind is quieted and the core self can be met. Art is a place of healing, connection and service to others, where I have learned to be accountable to my actions and as a means to make amends to the communities inside and out of prison.

After being away from Harlem, NY for eight months, I had the fortunate opportunity to come back and be the photographer of the Refettorio Harlem Holiday Soiree.

On December 9th, Women Over Dinner (WOD) hosted its very first dinner in a prison at the Taconic Correctional Facility. On that same day, 100 women around the world hosted dinners in solidarity with the incarcerated women at Taconic.

As we move into 2025, we are uplifted by the progress we’ve made and inspired by the possibilities ahead. There is still much to do, but we are confident that, with your continued support, we can expand our reach, deepen our impact, and build a society where dignity and freedom are not privileges but birthrights.

Women Over Dinner has started a women’s movement rooted in feminine principles—it reminds women that their power and resilience are inherent, not given by someone or something outside of themselves, that their strength and joy are in sisterhood and community.

I’ve seen “hardened” men and women go from stoic and looking down at the floor, not making eye contact and barely sharing their feelings, or better yet not even knowing how they feel, to lighting up while creating love notes to themselves and vision boards that express their souls’ desire.

I'll admit that taking this course was probably the best decision I've ever made since coming to prison. I've discovered things about myself that I never knew existed.

As an incarcerated individual, I’ve struggled to find purpose and hope. Your program has been a beacon of light, guiding me toward transformation.

The biggest shift for me has been going from directing all my power in the pursuit of a personal goal to conquer, to remembering that all power is shared power, that I want to use that power to be of the most benefit to the most people, and that the way to do that is in connection with (not competition with) other women - or men!