Friday, March 4, 2016

How Can An Inmate Interact At Seattle's (or any cities) Annual Pride March?

I have often wondered what I could do as an inmate to bring my voice to the table at one of the pride march's in somewhere like Seattle or San Francisco or Spokane, WA. I have thought about doing some drawings or getting some hobby craft items together to raffle off and donate to a LGBTQ supporting cause. There are lots of guys here that would donate time and materials for such a thing.
I draw, but another beads and yet another crochets and another does book binding...so the possibilities are endless in that regard. Another idea I had was to create some flyers to pass out. Draw up a template for someone to make copies of and then have someone pass them out or something along those lines. I think that is a great idea, but who would do that for us? Secondly, what would the flyer even say? There is so much more to the LGBT incarcerated community that it is difficult to choose what to say to grab people's attention. 
What do I want anyway? I originally started whining about me not having enough gay people to talk to. Or a lack of support system that I couold identify with and when I brought this up to my facility they suggested mental health. They did this because they understood that I needed something but thought that I could be better served with mental counseling. I took offense because I wasn't sick, I was lonely. I did and still do engage with mental health and it's the best thing I have ever done because let's face it, I got things to deal with that need addressing right now.
I would want people in Pride not to forget about us and to engage with is somewhat. Bring your passionate side to the table and help us become better people so that when we are out there amongst you we are healthy, drug free, violence free and better people. We can be helped and most of us want it. But we need the support of our communities. We need the love of those around us to help us through. Your passion for fashion could be mine or someone else's. Maybe a fashion mentor could be just what I or someone else needs to break the cycle and have something to live a positive life for. What if your love of theater could spark one of us in here to become one of the world's greatest directors or producers or writers. 
I know that's something of a long shot, but maybe we won't be that great. Let's say someone in here just needs somewhere to direct our emotions and you have the keys to that outlet. It's those little things that we need. Just someone to write to, to volunteer here to help us, someone to help us be encouraged.

anyway, I would like to take part in the Pride march's this year, if there is anyone who has any ideas let me know...I could sure use the idea's!

Contact me via email on jpay.com 
or write me via snail mail

Jeff Utnage 823469
H3-B-120-U
Stafford Creek Correction Center
191 Constantine Way
Aberdeen, WA 98520

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